Saturday 25 January 2020

This analyst says there’s a “high chance” Bitcoin may never fall under $5k again @cryptoslate #Analysis #Price Watch

Once Bitcoin (BTC) started to incur strong losses in the second half of 2019, analysts were once again making extremely low price predictions.

Long-time Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff, who is CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, wrote in a late-2019 tweet that per his technical analysis of the charts, BTC’s breakdown below the $7,000 range could be a precursor to a potential capitulation event to $1,000.

Even recently, despite the price of digital assets rallying by dozens of percent since the December bottom, a number of traders have asserted that a $3,000 Bitcoin price is in the books.

But, per a number of analyses, there is about no way the cryptocurrency will ever see those prices again.

Will Bitcoin say goodbye to sub-$5,000 prices forever?

Bitcoin analyst Digitalik.net, who runs a cryptocurrency statistics website that has his online username as the URL, recently noted that BTC’s four-year simple moving average (SMA) just crossed over the $5,000 level for the first time ever.

This is important as a chart shared by a user of his site shows that Bitcoin always bounced off the four-year SMA, only breaking through it briefly before bouncing higher. Indeed, in the wake of the 2013 bubble, BTC found key support at that level for months; and in 2018, the moving average marked the bottom for the brutal price plunge.

With this technical level being of utmost importance, Digitalik.net said that “there is a high chance we will not see BTC below $5,000 ever again.”

Not only long-term positive sign

It isn’t only the four-year SMA that suggests BTC will never revisit triple digits ever again.

In a CryptoSlate report covering Bitcoin’s plunge to the $6,000s in December, we cited this chart below from legendary analyst Filb Filb. The chart depicts a logarithmic growth curve that BTC has traded in for around a decade’s time, with bull runs topping at the top of the curve and bear markets finding support at the bottom of the curve.

The curve is so accurate that there are at least seven distinct points where the price of BTC flirted with the bottom of the curve, to only move higher in the weeks that followed.

At the time of our report, there were fears that BTC was finally going to break the curve—something that cynics of cryptocurrency say the asset will not hold forever. But, at the eleventh hour, bulls stepped in, allowing Bitcoin to close above the lowest logarithmic growth band as the price bounced back. The clear support found at this level suggests Bitcoin will

Not to mention, Willy Woo — partner at Bitcoin fund Adaptive Capital — said in December that per his analysis of on-chain data, he believes the macro price bottom was established in the low-$6,000s. Woo did say, however, that there is an opportunity for a drop below that bottom, but noted that it would just be a blip in the grand scheme of things.

The post This analyst says there’s a “high chance” Bitcoin may never fall under $5k again appeared first on CryptoSlate.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Cryptoslate/this-analyst-says-theres-a-high-chance-bitcoin-may-never-fall-under-5k-again-5e2c5d9147e74a496a6d68cd

Bitcoin is the Most Popular Crypto Asset Amongst Investors @bitcoinist #Altcoins #Bitcoin #Bitcoin Investment #Ethereum #News #News teaser #bitcoin #btc #ETH #Investment #XRP

bitcoin most popular crypto...
bitcoin most popular crypto
The Bitcoin and crypto market cap figures that we get from CoinMarketCap, whilst being infinitely more reliable than its data on daily volumes, just tell us how much of each particular cryptocurrency is out there. But with vast swathes of these tokens being held by early adopters, whales, exchange wallets, or just forever lost, it doesn’t answer the question. Just which cryptocurrencies are investors actually holding in their portfolios? Market Cap vs Dominance and Popularity Fortunately, the team behind the Shrimpy Portfolio Management app has dug into their extensive sample data to give us a snapshot. Ignoring market cap, we will instead look at the dominance of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies within portfolios and their popularity. The dominance indicates the average weighting of a cryptocurrency within the portfolios. This ignores the relative values of the portfolios. So a $100 million portfolio containing 25% BTC and a $10k portfolio containing 75% Bitcoin, would still average out at 50% BTC. Popularity measured what percentage of the sample portfolios hold a particular token, ignoring the relative proportion in each. So if each of 10 portfolios contained 5% ETH, then ETH would have a popularity of 100%. The Popular Kids In School: Bitcoin, Ethereum and… Obviously there is likely to be some overlap between Bitcoin, crypto market cap, and our dominance and popularity metrics. Let’s consider popularity. Shrimpy found that unsurprisingly, Bitcoin was the most popular token, appearing in 72.4% of portfolios. However, Ether was also held by more than half (54.5%) of investors. Other popular cryptocurrencies were Binance Coin (40.1%), XRP (38.7%), Litecoin (37.7%), Stellar (32%), EOS (27%), Cardano (26.3%), Bitcoin Cash (24.5%) and Monero (21.4%). The Heavyweights Bitcoin again unsurprisingly comes top in the dominance metric, making up an average of 26% of the portfolios sampled. However, Ether has an average weighting of 7.4%, far more than might be expected from its market cap. Other cryptocurrencies with significant dominance figures are Tether (4%), XRP (3.9%), Binance Coin (3.6%), Litecoin (3%), Cardano (2.2%), Stellar (1.8%) and EOS (1.6%) Key Points To Take Away While Bitcoin SV ranks number 6 in market cap, it was neither popular nor dominant in the portfolios used as the sample for this analysis. Binance Coin over-performs in both popularity and dominance considering its market cap, while Bitcoin Cash underperforms in both of these measures. Tether has a relatively high dominance, but is not particularly popular, suggesting that the portfolios which do hold Tether hold a large proportion of it. Shrimpy also recently published a report trying to ascertain the actual number of trades processed by exchanges daily. Does your crypto portfolio consist primarily of Bitcoin? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!  Image via Shutterstock  The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/Bitcoinist/bitcoin-is-the-most-popular-crypto-asset-amongst-investors-5e2c55212f85a5db65e812ce

Digital asset exchanges are the crypto industry’s biggest employers, research shows @TheBlock__ #employment #Genesis #hiring #Research

More than 85% of employees in the crypto space work for companies focused on three major service areas: exchanges, development, and mining.

The statistic was included in The Block Genesis's Digital Asset Human Capital Trends Report, which ...

More than 85% of employees in the crypto space work for companies focused on three major service areas: exchanges, development, and mining.

The statistic was included in The Block Genesis's Digital Asset Human Capital Trends Report, which was commissioned by the Blockchain Association. 

There are 48 firms with 100 or more employees across the crypto industry. The largest employer: Asia-based exchange Huobi Global. Huobi is followed by two other exchanges, OKEx and Coinbase, in terms of the number of workers employed.

Indeed, nearly 46% of employers with more than 100 employees are digital asset exchanges. Development firms account for roughly 29% of employers in that category.

The digital asset space grew into a high growth, professional industry in 2019, boasting some 20,000 employees. Of the largest employers, 67% of them are domiciled outside of the U.S.

For more insights into the state of employment across the industry, check out the Digital Asset Human Capital Trends Report.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/The Block/digital-asset-exchanges-are-the-crypto-industrys-biggest-employers-research-shows-5e2c54312f85a5db65e812cd

Davos 2020: The five stories that matter for crypto @decryptmedia #Business #Blockchain #crypto #Davos #switzerland #world economic forum

At this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, state-rolled digital currencies are a hot topic, and an exchange goes for broke.

The post D...

At this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, state-rolled digital currencies are a hot topic, and an exchange goes for broke.

The post

Davos 2020: The five stories that matter for crypto appeared first on Decrypt.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Decrypt/davos-2020-the-five-stories-that-matter-for-crypto-5e2c4e922f85a5db65e812cc

Does the Chinese New Year really affect Bitcoin's price? @decryptmedia #Coins #Alex Kruger #Arthur Haynes #bitmex #Bobby Ong #BTSE #Chinese New Year #CoinGecko

Chinese New Year is upon us. Will it coincide with a Bitcoin bloodbath as in previous years? The experts weigh in.

The post Does the C...

Chinese New Year is upon us. Will it coincide with a Bitcoin bloodbath as in previous years? The experts weigh in.

The post

Does the Chinese New Year really affect Bitcoin's price? appeared first on Decrypt.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Decrypt/does-the-chinese-new-year-really-affect-bitcoins-price-5e2c47122f85a5db65e812cb

Nedbank Not Looking to Shut Down Crypto Exchange Bank Accounts @bitcoinist #Bitcoin Exchange #News #News teaser #crypto #crypto regulation #luno #Nedbank #South Africa

nedbank crypto south africa
Contrary ...
nedbank crypto south africa
Contrary to reports, prominent South African bank, Nedbank is not considering closing down accounts belonging to crypto exchanges in the country. Nedbank Not Taking New Digital Asset Exchange Customers According to South African crypto news outlet SACrypto, reports stating that Nedbank is planning to shut down bank accounts of crypto exchanges are false. Commenting on the situation, Richard De Sousa, the CEO of AltcoinTrader, one of South Africa’s crypto exchange platforms remarked: I commented in the IT Web article about Nedbank closing crypto accounts. But I believe it has turned into media hype. The reality is: Nedbank are no longer taking on new accounts for crypto related companies, but they are not closing current accounts. As previously reported by Bitcoinist FNB closed down accounts linked to cryptocurrency exchanges in November 2019. However, stakeholders at major South African crypto exchanges say fellow ‘big five’ bank Nedbank is not planning on adopting a similar course of action. On Friday (January 24, 2019), South African tech publication ITWeb had reported that Nedbank was looking to follow FNB’s footsteps in shutting down crypto exchange bank accounts. According to ITWeb, Nedbank officials told the media outlet that the bank was conducting internal deliberations on how to proceed with its crypto business clients. AltcoinTrader has already seen its account with FNB terminated with the bank citing political and financial risks. According to reports, the bank will close other accounts belonging to the like of Luno before the end of Q2 2020. Stakeholders Call for Clear Cut Crypto Regulations With reports of banks looking to withdraw support for crypto exchange platforms in South Africa, industry stakeholders say the government needs to move forward with enacting clear-cut cryptocurrency regulations in the country. Back in December 2019, reports emerged that the South African government was set to introduce new laws to regulate crypto usage. These laws reportedly focus on checkmating the use of cryptocurrencies in illegal money transfers. For stakeholders like De Sousa, the absence of clearly defined virtual currency laws that cover several aspects of the industry creates a vacuum which does little to help cryptocurrency adoption in the country. So far, the extent of crypto governance in South Africa has remained limited to tax compliance and tracking of cryptocurrency transactions. Bitcoin remains popular in the country with data from Google trends showing the country is second place behind Nigeria in terms of search interest. Bitcoin’s popularity in South Africa has also made the country a breeding ground for elaborate scams. Will all major South African banks withdraw services to crypto exchange platforms in the country? Let us know in the comments below. Image via Shutterstock The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/Bitcoinist/nedbank-not-looking-to-shut-down-crypto-exchange-bank-accounts-5e2c1ce12f85a5db65e812ca

Bitcoin’s Github Community Now Boasts of 3000+ Members @bitcoinist #Bitcoin #News #News teaser #bitcoin #btc #crypto #GitHub

bitcoin github community
According to...
bitcoin github community
According to recent data by GitGitRun.com, Bitcoin’s Github community has now has more than 2800 members, with some speculating that the real member count has gone past 3,000. Bitcoin Github Community on the rise Github is quite well-known for being an online developer hub, where experts and amateurs alike can join forces, host and review codes, manage projects, build software together, and more. This is a place where any code can be taken apart, thoroughly investigated and studied, and then improved, if there is a need for an unofficial intervention. However, with a platform like that, it would be hard to imagine that the concept of digital currencies — money that is nothing but code underneath the surface — did not attract the developers’ attention. Bitcoin, in particular, stands in high regard due to its unique nature and a promise to change the financial world. Now, according to recent data from GitGitRun.com, it appears that  Bitcoin’s Github community managed to reach 2,800 members yesterday, January 24th. However, as the Bitcoin community member on Reddit, u/THE_ReD_TrucK, had noticed — not all repos are tracked, which led him to a conclusion that the real number of Bitcoin developers on Github might easily be over 3,000. Of course, it is not that easy to find the correct number of contributors to any community, as many of them are not tracked, others are counted twice for one reason or another, and more. Such issues make it complicated to determine the true size of the Bitcoin community, but even so, the data from GitGitRun clearly indicates that the number of tracked contributors continues to rise. With that in mind, it would not be a stretch to assume that the same is true for those who are not tracked. Regardless of the actual number, the fact is that Bitcoin is getting more and more developers willing to try and perfect its technology. This is important in order to make it even more reliable and accessible. Geopolitical issues and other difficulties affecting developers Inspecting and polishing the code, coming up with new patches and improvements, and thinking up ways to solve issues that have troubled BTC for years is no easy task. However, as Bitcoin adoption spreads around the world, the same is true for its developers, which can only benefit the rest of the community along the way. Now, the GitHub community working on blockchain technology did see some difficulties, especially in 2019, when GitHub started identifying and banning Iranian accounts due to the US trade restrictions. This prevented Iranian blockchain developers from participating in software projects that required private repositories, or paid services, This had significant consequences, not only on the size of the welcomed community but also on the developers’ professional and personal lives. Similar restrictions even affected Iranian ex-pats, who moved to Europe or North America. However, many have found a way to circumvent the ban and continue working on emerging technologies, which further proves the strength and dedication of a decentralized community. What do you think about the recent increase in the number of Bitcoin Github’s contributors? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and let us know. Image via Shutterstock The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/Bitcoinist/bitcoins-github-community-now-boasts-of-3000-members-5e2c16512f85a5db65e812c9

Tether Has Launched Its Gold-Backed Stablecoin @crypto_briefing #Uncategorized #Bitfinex #Stablecoins #Tether

Stablecoin giant Tether Ltd. has just launched a gold-backed cryptocurrency, which is price-pegged to the precious metal. The news was announced in a Jan. 23 Tether Ltd. has just launched a gold-backed cryptocurrency, which is price-pegged to the precious metal. The news was announced in a Jan. 23 web post.

Each token of Tether Gold, or XAUT, is physically backed by one troy fine ounce of gold. Currently, there are 3990.225 XAUT in circulation, meaning that the market cap of the new cryptocurrency is approximately $6.3 million.

Though exchanges must buy at least 50 XAUT ($78,500) worth of Tether Gold, general investors can buy small fractions of the token through an exchange.

Bitfinex, Tether’s sister company, has become the first exchange to add Tether Gold to its listings. XAUT is currently trading on the exchange at roughly $1,570.

Tether Gold’s Practical Features

Tether boasts that its collateral is highly safeguarded. Its gold reserves are held in a Swiss vault, with “best in class security and anti-threat measures,” according to the announcement.

Coinholders can look up the serial number of their assigned gold bars via Tether’s website. Without an audit, this is not full proof that Tether owns the bar in question, but it does give investors some level of assurance.

Tether also offers redemption options for those who hold entire tokens. Investors can have their gold physically delivered or redeemed for cash.

Furthermore, the XAUT token itself can be freely moved on the TRON and Ethereum blockchains, and transactions can be tracked on block explorers like Etherscan.

Facing the Stablecoin Competition

Tether Gold is not the only coin of its type. Paxos, a crypto exchange company, launched a similar stablecoin called PAX Gold last September.

Dozens of other minor projects are also attempting to introduce a gold-backed cryptocurrency, but so far, most have had little success.

Digix, one of the most successful gold-backed coins, briefly saw high trading volumes in August 2018 and January 2019. However, demand for DGX is generally low, and users voted to have the project’s treasury holdings returned to investors this month.

Despite the potential offered by gold-backed stablecoins and other alternatives, dollar-backed stablecoins such as USDT remain the most popular option. This is either due to Tether’s first-mover advantage or due to the U.S. dollar’s general popularity.

The post Tether Has Launched Its Gold-Backed Stablecoin appeared first on Crypto Briefing.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Crypto Briefing/tether-has-launched-its-goldbacked-stablecoin-5e2c11a12f85a5db65e812c8

This Ripple Backed Firm is Eyeing Indian Market Dominance @bitcoinist #Altcoins #News #News teaser #Ripple #EbixCash #india #MoneyGram #ripple #XRP

ripple backed firm wants to lead
MoneyGram, the cross-border payment system backed by Ripple, will aim to become a leader in carrying remittances for the Indian market. Ripple Backed MoneyGram Aims for Bigger Share of the Indian Remittances Market After forming a strategic partnership with EbixCash, MoneyGram will aim to grab the biggest market share in India, reported The Hindu Business Line. Cross-border payment systems help the Indian economy connect to worldwide services, and MoneyGram aims for a larger part of that market. But so far MoneyGram has met problems spreading to the Indian market, commented Alex Holmes, chairman, and CEO of MoneyGram. The partnership with EbixCash will solve the “last mile” problem of money transfers. EbixCash is one of the vastest fintech networks, encompassing multiple preloaded, utility and general payment services. MoneyGram is one of its latest partners, and thus connects India’s payment ecosystem with Ripple, Inc. The San-Francisco based firm, which invested $50 million MoneyGram in the summer of 2019, continuing its expansion to link the space of cryptocurrencies with regular payment systems. MoneyGram is still in the experimental stages of using RippleNet’s ecosystem and has announced plans to utilize the On-Demand Liquidity system. If this technological shift happens, MoneyGram will be the company best positioned to deliver the Ripple protocol and show its benefits in real-world usage. India Boosts Crypto Usage, Electronic Wallets After War on Cash For now, MoneyGram will capitalize on India’s increased usage of electronic wallets and fintech payment solutions. India has also become one of the markets readily adopting digital asset solutions, but those are competing with local usage of cash, as well as local payment systems. India has also rejected the usage of Facebook’s Libra, and the market may be open for competitors. For now, Libra is not a threat, as the asset has not been issued yet, and Ripple’s solution may be the first distributed solution to arrive on the market. Despite the stagnant XRP prices, Ripple continues to position itself as a fintech solution provider, potentially also launching its own IPO in the near future. But MoneyGram remains its flagship business, as it grabs a large share of international remittances and capitalizes on the well-known brand. The price of XRP has stabilized around $0.22, on relatively small trading volumes of $1.6 billion in 24 hours. XRP has awaited the verdict on its status as either a form of security or another type of asset. This has kept investor interest relatively low, despite previous expectations XRP usage would pick up as Ripple takes a share of the global remittances market. What do you think about MoneyGram’s move on the Indian market? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!   The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/Bitcoinist/this-ripple-backed-firm-is-eyeing-indian-market-dominance-5e2c0ed12f85a5db65e812c7

OneCoin Accomplice Requests Sentence Postponement @bitcoinist #News #News teaser #crypto #fraud #OneCoin #Scams

onecoin scam sentence
...
onecoin scam sentence
According to a recent letter filed by Mark Scott’s counsel, the OneCoin co-conspirator is trying to get his sentencing postponed until the 21st of April. The crypto space is filled with reports of scams, most of which took place back in the days when Bitcoin was surging towards its all-time high of $20,000. One fraud that started in 2016, slightly before the famous surge, involved a company called OneCoin, whose conspirators were since arrested and put on trial. The co-conspirator, Mark Scott, was already convicted back on November 21st, 2019. The court found him guilty on two counts — conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and the conspiracy to commit money laundering.  All that remains is for him to be sentenced, which was supposed to take place on February 21st of this year. However, before that happens, the court has given him time to file any Rule 29 or Rule 33 motions. In other words, Scott can use this time to request acquittal or retrial, which he can do until February 3rd. After that, the government will have three weeks — until February 24th — to respond. In a new development, Scott seems to have used this opportunity, as his counsel decided to file a Letter, seeking that the sentencing date is postponed. According to the letter, Scott and his representatives would like to push the sentencing date for April 21st, 2020. This postponement would allow his defense the necessary time to complete briefing regarding the post-trial motions. Meanwhile, it would also give the Court enough time for review. In addition, the delay would allow the defense counsel to prepare for sentencing. The counsel letter also pointed out that the government has no objection to the newly-requested schedule. What was the OneCoin Scam About? As some may know, Scott was previously an equity partner at the law company known as Locke Lord LLP. Back in 2016, he started forming numerous fake private equity investment funds in the British Virgin Islands. The funds have since become known as the Fenero Funds. It is estimated that he laundered around $400 million in proceeds, filing them down as investments from wealthy families from Europe. In truth, the money was actually coming from the OneCoin fraud scheme, and Scott was allegedly paid over $50 million for his services. He used this money to buy numerous luxury cars, seaside homes, and even a yacht. According to what is known, he layered the incoming money via numerous Fenero Fund bank accounts, which were traced to the Republic of Ireland and the Cayman Islands. After that, he would transfer the money back to several entities associated with OneCoin. When the banks started making inquiries regarding the transfers, both Scott and his co-conspirators lied about the money, in order to have them file the transfers as OneCoin proceeds, which would allow them to evade AML procedures. Conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a potential sentence of 20 years, while the conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a potential sentence of 30 years in prison. Since Scott was convicted of one account of both crimes (through OneCoin),  it is currently unknown how the court might handle his sentence. What do you think about Scott’s request for the postponement of the sentencing? Join the discussion in the comments below, and let us know your thoughts on the case. Image via Shutterstock The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/Bitcoinist/onecoin-accomplice-requests-sentence-postponement-5e2c03912f85a5db65e812c6

Senior loses life savings to Bitcoin scam on Microsoft’s MSN.com @MICKYNewsOz #Cryptocurrency #Bitcoin scam #Microsoft #MSN

A 75-year old woman lost her life savings to a Bitcoin investment scam being advertised on Microsoft-owned MSN.com.

Frances Foster, a hospital ward clerk from Plymouth, UK lost £11,000 [US$14,300] to an investment scheme called LTC Market...

A 75-year old woman lost her life savings to a Bitcoin investment scam being advertised on Microsoft-owned MSN.com.

Frances Foster, a hospital ward clerk from Plymouth, UK lost £11,000 [US$14,300] to an investment scheme called LTC Markets that she saw advertised on the popular news portal last year.

The investment scheme promised high returns, which is what attracted Foster’s attention in the first place.

The company, which claimed to be based in Switzerland, worked hard to gain her trust, even going so far as to call her personally in December to wish her a happy Christmas.

Speaking to the BBC, Foster explained that, although her initial investment was small, she went on to invest – and lose – thousands of pounds in the course of a few months.

“It’s been awful. I sent my first amount of money to them in September and now £11,000 is all gone.”

Though she has contacted her bank and several fraud organizations, including ActionFraud, Foster is not optimistic about having her funds returned. Now, she just hopes that her story will serve as a warning to others.

75-year old Francis Foster lost her life savings to a Bitcoin scam she saw advertised on MSN.com
75-year old Francis Foster lost her life savings to a Bitcoin scam she saw advertised on MSN.com – BBC.co.uk

But…hasn’t MSN banned crypto-related ads?

Yes…yes they have. According to Microsoft’s advertising guidelines for financial products and services, “cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency-related products including, but not limited to initial coin offerings, cryptocurrency exchanges, and cryptocurrency wallets” are not permitted on its ad network.

So how did LTC Markets manage to get its ads on MSN.com? That’s a good question, and one that Microsoft does not yet have an answer to.

Speaking about the incident, a spokesperson said that the company “was working internally and with our partners and agencies to address the techniques scammers use to deceive people so that we can detect, block and remove fraudulent advertisements more effectively.”

Microsoft cautioned its users that they should “remain vigilant and only engage with brands they trust and recognise.”

Crypto scams sneaking onto major outlets

This isn’t the first time a major website has unwittingly promoted a crypto scam. Bitcoin Revolution and similar investment schemes have managed to find a bountiful pool of potential victims on Facebook and other social media platforms.

In December of last year, UK-based Which magazine reported that ads for similar scams appearing on other trusted websites including Yahoo, MSN, and AOL.

Individual losses of up to £200,000 [US$261,000] have been reported by thousands of victims worldwide.

Another scam that made headlines around the same time involved a government-authorized cryptocurrency in Uganda called Dunamiscoins.

Its parent company, Dunamiscoins Resource Ltd, promised investors interest returns of 30% to 40% on their investments in as little as 21 days.

The scheme was launched in November 2019 and managed to bilk investors out of nearly $2.7 million before abruptly shutting down just a month later.

More than 5,000 victims petitioned the Ugandan government, calling the investigation into question and seeking a refund of their investments.

Lead petitioner Haruna Asiimwe told reporters, “We are not satisfied with what the Police report that they have failed to arrest the third director. We request that the Financial Intelligence Authority follows this up and trace where the money is and we are refunded”

The post Senior loses life savings to Bitcoin scam on Microsoft’s MSN.com appeared first on Micky.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Micky/senior-loses-life-savings-to-bitcoin-scam-on-microsofts-msncom-5e2bb3e29060b467601e94de

Uniswap Liquidity Grows Following Additional Token Listings @crypto_briefing #Analysis #DeFi #Uniswap

Massive 66% Rally in Ripple’s XRP Hinges On This Key Level @newsbtc #Ripple #analysis #Brave New Coin #Josh Olszewicz #xrp

XRP didn’t have the best of years in 2019. In a year when effectively all assets posted jaw-dropping gains — Bitcoin gained 95%, the S&P 500 rallied by over 30%, gold posted an approximate 20% gain — the third-largest cryptocurrency plunged...XRP didn’t have the best of years in 2019. In a year when effectively all assets posted jaw-dropping gains — Bitcoin gained 95%, the S&P 500 rallied by over 30%, gold posted an approximate 20% gain — the third-largest cryptocurrency plunged 50%. In fact, all altcoins performed really poorly, as accentuated in this experiment NewsBTC covered. According to a prominent analyst, XRP’s prospects are a bit more bullish for 2020, at least if a key price level can be surmounted in the coming weeks and months. How The Third-Largest Crypto Could Surge 66% For cryptocurrency markets and news site Brave New Coin, analyst Josh Olszewicz recently released an extensive video analysis on the XRP altcoin. After pointing out that the cryptocurrency has been a strict downtrend for the past few months, he pointed to a potential bull case. This being that if XRP manages to break above $0.30, which is where the exists historical resistance according to Volume Profiles and a downtrend trend line, the cryptocurrency could rally 66% to $0.50 in the months following this event. Can XRP Break $0.30? Thus, the question remains — can XRP break $0.30 from here? According to a number of analysts, for sure. Trader Galaxy noted that XRP is “looking ready” to rally 20% or so higher towards $0.28, drawing attention to the existence of a clear uptrend and the fact that the asset has flipped a number of key resistances into supports, boding well for the bullish case. $XRP looking ready pic.twitter.com/dYzMviNQLe — Galaxy (@galaxyBTC) January 22, 2020 Also, another trader pointed out that XRP has finally started to decisively break out of a falling wedge pattern that has constrained price action for the past seven months. The cryptocurrency has also surmounted a key horizontal resistance that has been important on a macro basis. With this in mind, he suggested in the below chart that he expects for XRP to target the 0.382 Fibonacci Retracement of the entire falling wedge over the coming weeks, which suggests a 25% rally to $0.30 is on the horizon. And Olszewicz himself said in the video that if the cryptocurrency can move above $0.24, just slightly above where it is trading at now, a surge to $0.30 could be had due to his use of the Ichimoku Cloud. Not to mention, prominent traders that have been eerily accurate in calling Bitcoin’s price action are bullish on the cryptocurrency markets, meaning that XRP could be dragged up with the rest of the market should BTC rally. Featured Image from Shutterstock The post appeared first on NewsBTC.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/NewsBTC/massive-66-rally-in-ripples-xrp-hinges-on-this-key-level-5e2bc011fd2c48d862b12111

$20,000: This Pattern Suggests Bitcoin Could Rally 135% in Coming Months @newsbtc #Bitcoin #Crypto #bitcoin #btc #crypto

Bitcoin has been stuck within a consolidation phase for the past several days, which was first seen when the crypto was ranging around $8,600. This was followed by a range expansion when BTC dipped to lows of $8,200 overnight before bouncing back to ...Bitcoin has been stuck within a consolidation phase for the past several days, which was first seen when the crypto was ranging around $8,600. This was followed by a range expansion when BTC dipped to lows of $8,200 overnight before bouncing back to the mid-$8,000 region earlier today. This bout of sideways trading may not last long, however, as the cryptocurrency could be on the cusp of a major upwards movement that leads it to break into the coveted five figure price region. The major movement that leads BTC to this price level, however, may not occur until it taps roughly $7,300, meaning it could see some near-term downside. Bitcoin to Target $11,500 in the Short Term Because Of These Simple Factors  At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading up just under 2% at its current price of $8,500, which marks a notable climb from its daily lows of $8,200 that were set at the bottom of the overnight selloff. TradingShot – a well-respected technical analyst on TradingView – explained in a recent post that he is closely watching a recently formed inverse head and shoulders pattern for insight into where BTC will go next. Based on this pattern, which he outlines on the chart seen below, he believes that Bitcoin will retrace towards $7,300 before rallying up to $11,500. “I expect Bitcoin to retrace now back to roughly 7300 and price the top (inversed) of the Right Shoulder. Assuming the pattern is to a good degree symmetrical, I then expect a peak (before the May Halving) within $11000 – 11500,” he noted. Image Courtesy of TradingShot Analyst: Post-Halving Momentum Likely to Lead BTC to $20,000 TradingShot doesn’t believe that $11,500 is where Bitcoin’s 2020 rally will end, however, as he further goes on to note that post-halving momentum could lead the crypto to its previously established all-time highs around $20,000. “The Halving will then take effect and after an initial consolidation I expect the 20k ATH to be tested before the end of the year,” he bullishly explained. In addition to leaning on the inverse head and shoulders pattern and the upcoming mining rewards halving as bullish catalysts, he also references BTC’s position within another macro parabolic channel seen below as a reason to be bullish. Image Courtesy of TradingShot The culmination of all these factors does seem to suggest that the crypto will soon see a significant extension of the uptrend it has been caught within over the past several weeks. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post appeared first on NewsBTC.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/NewsBTC/20000-this-pattern-suggests-bitcoin-could-rally-135-in-coming-months-5e2b90419060b467601e94da

Friday 24 January 2020

This Eerie Fractal Shows Why Bitcoin’s Price Could Soon Crash By 20% @newsbtc #Analysis #Bitcoin #bitcoin #Cold Blooded Shiller #fractal

Over the past week, Bitcoin (BTC) has started to show signs of weakness after a 40% uptrend in a month. Since establishing a $9,200 multi-month around seven days ago, the price of the leading digital asset has plummeted by 11% to $8,200, where it tra...Over the past week, Bitcoin (BTC) has started to show signs of weakness after a 40% uptrend in a month. Since establishing a $9,200 multi-month around seven days ago, the price of the leading digital asset has plummeted by 11% to $8,200, where it trades as of the time of writing this. Although the price drop has seemingly found a local bottom, with the selling pressure abating, an eerie fractal proposed by a top Bitcoin analyst says it’s only a matter of time before BTC falls dozens of percent from here. Ouch. Bitcoin Could Soon Plunge Dozens of Percent Over the past few weeks, Bitcoin has broken out from key downtrends, rallying by dozens of percent since the $6,400 bottom registered in December of last year. Although this has been decisively bullish price action, countless analysts have noted that the breakout we are seeing is eerily reminiscent of the infamous “China Pump” in October 2019, when President Xi Jinping’s endorsement of blockchain sent Bitcoin 40% higher. 40% higher in a day. Similarities were seen in a number of indicators, in the directionality of the move, and how the price action was formed. And according to a recent analysis by Cold Blooded Shiller — a full-time crypto trader — the similarities go even further than that, suggesting that BTC may tumble by dozens of percent from here. Night night, forever. pic.twitter.com/reS29pZEtq — Cold Blooded Shiller (@ColdBloodShill) January 25, 2020 He noted in the tweet above that when Bitcoin started to unwind after the China pump of yesteryear, the price hastily bounced off the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA) then was rejected from a key support/”supply” level, to only plunge through the same moving average. This ping-ponging in the price of BTC last year preceded a strong crash from $8,700 to $6,400 in a few weeks’ time, marking a drop of 27%. This is relevant because Bitcoin has done the exact same thing, bouncing off the 200 EMA almost exactly as it did last year. Not to mention, the shape of the charts are looking near-identical, suggesting that should the fractal play out in full, BTC will soon plunge by over 20% towards the $6,000s once again. Will Bulls Step In?  Despite these fears, there are some holding onto the belief that Bitcoin bulls will step in, especially as the halving approaches. Murad Mahmudov, CIO of Bitcoin fund Adaptive Capital, recently observed on Twitter that there is nearly no way BTC is falling much further than it already has, because “as crazy as it sounds, the -53 percent drop from $13,888 to $6,410 wasn’t a full out bitcoin bear market, but rather, unironically just mid-bull cycle correction.” Also, the Lucid SAR indicator, just printed a bullish signal on a medium-term basis; the indicator printed its first buy signal since March 2019, which was prior to a 330% rally that brought BTC above $10,000 and crypto assets dozens of percent higher. Featured Image from Shutterstock The post appeared first on NewsBTC.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/NewsBTC/this-eerie-fractal-shows-why-bitcoins-price-could-soon-crash-by-20-5e2bd691fd2c48d862b12112

Massive 66% XRP Price Rally Hinges On This Key Level @newsbtc #Ripple #analysis #Brave New Coin #Josh Olszewicz #xrp

XRP didn’t have the best of years in 2019. In a year when effectively all assets posted jaw-dropping gains — Bitcoin gained 95%, the S&P 500 rallied by over 30%, gold posted an approximate 20% gain — the third-largest cryptocurrency plunged...XRP didn’t have the best of years in 2019. In a year when effectively all assets posted jaw-dropping gains — Bitcoin gained 95%, the S&P 500 rallied by over 30%, gold posted an approximate 20% gain — the third-largest cryptocurrency plunged 50%. In fact, all altcoins performed really poorly, as accentuated in this experiment NewsBTC covered. According to a prominent analyst, XRP’s prospects are a bit more bullish for 2020, at least if a key price level can be surmounted in the coming weeks and months. How The Third-Largest Crypto Could Surge 66% For cryptocurrency markets and news site Brave New Coin, analyst Josh Olszewicz recently released an extensive video analysis on the XRP altcoin. After pointing out that the cryptocurrency has been a strict downtrend for the past few months, he pointed to a potential bull case. This being that if XRP manages to break above $0.30, which is where the exists historical resistance according to Volume Profiles and a downtrend trend line, the cryptocurrency could rally 66% to $0.50 in the months following this event. Can XRP Break $0.30? Thus, the question remains — can XRP break $0.30 from here? According to a number of analysts, for sure. Trader Galaxy noted that XRP is “looking ready” to rally 20% or so higher towards $0.28, drawing attention to the existence of a clear uptrend and the fact that the asset has flipped a number of key resistances into supports, boding well for the bullish case. $XRP looking ready pic.twitter.com/dYzMviNQLe — Galaxy (@galaxyBTC) January 22, 2020 Also, another trader pointed out that XRP has finally started to decisively break out of a falling wedge pattern that has constrained price action for the past seven months. The cryptocurrency has also surmounted a key horizontal resistance that has been important on a macro basis. With this in mind, he suggested in the below chart that he expects for XRP to target the 0.382 Fibonacci Retracement of the entire falling wedge over the coming weeks, which suggests a 25% rally to $0.30 is on the horizon. And Olszewicz himself said in the video that if the cryptocurrency can move above $0.24, just slightly above where it is trading at now, a surge to $0.30 could be had due to his use of the Ichimoku Cloud. Not to mention, prominent traders that have been eerily accurate in calling Bitcoin’s price action are bullish on the cryptocurrency markets, meaning that XRP could be dragged up with the rest of the market should BTC rally. Featured Image from Shutterstock The post appeared first on NewsBTC.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/NewsBTC/massive-66-xrp-price-rally-hinges-on-this-key-level-5e2bba719060b467601e94df

Here’s Why Analysts Expect Ethereum To Surge Towards $200 @newsbtc #Analysis #Ethereum #analysis #ethereum #market #satoshi flipper

Over the past week, Bitcoin, Ethereum (ETH), and other leading digital assets have finally begun to stall. The price of these assets have tanked across the board, losing over 10% since the highs put in last week. Despite this, analysts are certain th...Over the past week, Bitcoin, Ethereum (ETH), and other leading digital assets have finally begun to stall. The price of these assets have tanked across the board, losing over 10% since the highs put in last week. Despite this, analysts are certain that the outlook for some cryptocurrencies remains bullish. Specifically, one trader recently noted that ETH is poised to burst higher, at least from a medium-term perspective. Ethereum’s Medium-Term Trend Bullish, Analysts Assert Satoshi Flipper, a prominent cryptocurrency trader, recently noted that Ethereum’s weekly chart is showing relatively bullish signs after bottoming around $120. He specifically noted that the Heiken Ashi candles, which are a special charting technique used to more easily determine trends, have turned green on the weekly chart, suggesting a medium-term bull trend is forming. Flipper added that Ethereum has broken out of a falling wedge structure that constrained price action for six months, boding well for bulls. $ETH Weekly Heikin Ashi = Bullish pic.twitter.com/OBq5TqGXVt — Satoshi Flipper (@SatoshiFlipper) January 23, 2020 Although Flipper didn’t give a concrete price target in the tweet above, the arrows depicted on the chart suggest that $200 could be had for Ethereum. ETH Will Follow Market Leader Bitcoin Ethereum’s price action, while seemingly bullish right now, is largely dependent on that of Bitcoin. It is common knowledge in the cryptocurrency community that altcoins trace BTC. Fortunately for ETH investors, then, analysts expect for the leading crypto asset to appreciate in the coming months. Per previous reports from this outlet, trader Filb Filb in the latest edition of his Decentrader newsletter wrote that he remains bullish on Bitcoin heading into the block reward reduction in May of this year: “Overall, Bitcoin is exactly where [I] anticipated; slowly grinding up towards previous resistance… I’m very much of the opinion that Bitcoin will reach to at least $12,500 level before the halving.” A rally to $12,500, for some perspective, would require BTC to rally by 50% from current levels. A similar move in Ethereum could put the asset near $250. This call is notable as Filb Filb has been one of the most accurate crypto traders over the past few months. In October of last year showed in a chart that he expected for BTC to surge towards $10,000, then crash to $6,400 to find a macro bottom. Bitcoin did exactly that, giving him a great track record in analyzing digital assets. There’s also the fundamentals that suggest the crypto-asset market, ETH included, will be largely positive in 2020. In December of last year, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao said that he has seen increasing institutional interest in Ethereum, boding well for the market. He added that the long-term trajectory for the industry is decisively positive. Featured Image from Shutterstock The post appeared first on NewsBTC.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/NewsBTC/heres-why-analysts-expect-ethereum-to-surge-towards-200-5e2ba5d19060b467601e94dc

A Look at the Silicon Valley Coin @securitiesio #Security Tokens #Andra Capital #Sam Raman #SiliconValleyCoin #SVC #tezos #tokensoft

Silicon Valley Coin STO

The San Francisco-based venture capital firm, Andra Capital raised eyebrows across the market after announcing plans to host its Silicon Valley Coin (SVC) STO in the coming weeks. The funds raised via the STO will go towards the expansion of the company’s Open-Ended Technology Fund. The news demonstrates further security token usage in the US market, as well as, a desire to leverage blockchain technology to improve crowdfunding strategies.

The news officially broke on Jan. 22, 2020 via a company press release. In the release, Andra Capital described the purpose and concept of the Silicon Valley Coin. The firm cited the ability to provide investors higher returns and lower risks over a shorter investment period as one of the main focuses of the project.

Open-Ended Technology Fund

The Open-Ended Technology Fund is unique in many aspects. For one, the fund specifically targets companies in their hyper-growth phase. In this way, fund managers are able to combine a late-stage investment strategy with a perpetual VC structure that incorporates tradeable interests leveraged by the latest technology.

Tezos

Additionally, Andra Capital incorporated world-class service providers into the equation as a way to ensure the success of their project. For example, Andra Capital decided to partner with the Tezos Foundation to make the concept a reality. As such, Andra Capital decided to utilize the Tezos Blockchain for the project.

Tezos was a smart fit for the project because the firm provides Andra Capital access to global investors. Additionally, Tezos utilizes institutional-grade security features. Features such as formal verification streamline the entire investor onboarding process.

Silicon Valley Coin via Homepage

Silicon Valley Coin via Homepage

Notably, Tezos utilizes a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm to secure its blockchain. This style of consensus is far more energy-efficient than traditional Proof-of-Work systems such as the one utilized by Bitcoin. Importantly, Tezos supports secure smart contracts and features a unique live upgrade process. This ability to do live upgrades is ideal for long-term, high-value applications.

TokenSoft

For their part, TokenSoft will provide access to its proprietary tokenization technology. These tasks will include the integration of KYC and AML smart contract protocols. These compliance mechanisms help qualify retail investors. Also, TokenSoft will both issue SVC and host the SVC STO.

Speaking on the new partnerships, Sam Raman, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Andra Capital called his partners “best-in-class providers.” He touched on their past successes and how each firm can provide their unique expertise in digital securities to better the overall project.

Silicon Valley Coin (SVC)

The Silicon Valley Coin (SVC)  is a regulatory compliant, asset-backed, and tradeable security token. Each token represents a unit of interest in the Andra Capital Open-Ended Fund. Investors receive dividends equal to the percentage of tokens they hold in the fund. SVC tokens cannot be traded or transferred without first meeting KYC and AML restrictions.

Silicon Valley Coin (SVC) – A New Token in the Field

Andra Capital definitely did their homework prior to the launch of this project. The firm managed to partner with some of the biggest names in the industry to bring their concept to life. It will be interesting to watch this STO launch considering the amount of positioning each partner holds in the market. For now, the security token sector just got a new VC fund.

The post A Look at the Silicon Valley Coin appeared first on Securities.io.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Securities/a-look-at-the-silicon-valley-coin-5e2b7601ddcbf1085ee12371

Battle of yields? Two crypto asset lenders take different steps on interest rates @TheBlock__ #Lending #BlockFi #celsius #Cryptocurrency lending

This feature story is available to subscribers of The Block Daily. You can continue reading this Daily feature on The Block.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/The Block/battle-of-yields-two-crypto-asset-lenders-take-different-steps-on-interest-rates-5e2b7e70ddcbf1085ee12375

AARGOS Tokenized Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) @securitiesio #Security Tokens #AARGOS #Ahead Wealth Solutions AG #Arcinvest AG #Balzers (Custodian Bank and Transfer Agent) #Bank Frick & Co. AG #Grant Thornton AG #liechtenstein #Schaan (Auditor) and Grisogroup

Liechtenstein-AARGOS Global Real Estate Fund

Liechtenstein’s  Financial Market Authority (FMA) expanded its horizons this week after the decision to approve the AARGOS Global Real Estate Fund. AARGOS is the first tokenized Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) to receive approval by the country’s regulators to date. The decision to approve the fund signals a strong desire by Liechtenstein’s officials to embrace innovation concerning blockchain-based financial vehicles.

Tokenized Alternative Investment Funds (AIF)s

As the first tokenized Alternative Investment Fund to receive approval from FMA, AARGOS needed to meet some stringent standards. For one, AIFs are regulated by the European Union (EU). EU regulators require adherence to all AML and KYC procedures. Importantly, Liechtenstein is not a member of the EU, but since it complies with the necessary regulations, the EU allows the country to participate in its market.

Unlike traditional AIFs, tokenized funds are able to integrate these requirements directly into the security token’s protocol. In this manner, investor eligibility becomes an integral part of the token. Additionally, verified investors become part of the on-chain whitelist. In turn, it’s faster and more secure to make future investments.

AARGOS Objectives via Website

AARGOS Objectives via Website

These fully compliant tokenized real estate funds provide a host of advantages over their traditional counterparts. Primarily, they provide global investors access to the fund. Additionally, the fund can contain a global real estate portfolio, as is the case with AARGOS.

AARGOS

The AARGOS Global Real Estate Fund is a Subfund of the AARGOS Funds SICAV. Consequently, AARGOS security tokens represent economic interests in the AARGOS global real estate portfolio. Importantly, each token is a digital representation of one share. These tokenized shares live on the Ethereum blockchain. The decision to utilize an ERC-20 compliant token is a wise choice as ERC tokens are the most popular style of security token in use. As such, these tokens feature additional interoperability.

Strategic Partnerships

As part of AARGOS’s overall strategy, the firm developed a number of important strategic partnerships. Currently, their team consists of Ahead Wealth Solutions AG, Vaduz (Asset Management), Arcinvest AG, Vaduz (Portfolio Management), Bank Frick & Co. AG, Balzers (Custodian Bank and Transfer Agent), Grant Thornton AG, Schaan (Auditor) and Grisogroup, Dubai (Global Real Estate Management).

For their part, Vaduz-based Ahead Wealth Solutions agreed to establish the real estate fund. Ahead Wealth Solutions is well-known as an innovative financial service provider in the region. Additionally, Switzerland-based Token Factory worked with Bank Frick to tokenize the fund. Notably, the Token Factory handled most of the technological aspects of the tokenization. These steps included tasks such as programming smart contracts with regulatory compliance mechanisms. The integration of these regulations ensures that each token remains compliant through its entire lifecycle.

AARGOS – Liechtenstein – The Future

Liechtenstein continues to boost a pro-blockchain reputation. The country remains at the forefront of the blockchain revolution. AARGOS receiving approval for its AIF is an important milestone in blockchain adoption across the entire EU market. You can expect to see both AARGOS and Liechtenstein capitalize on the jump-start in the market.

The post AARGOS Tokenized Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) appeared first on Securities.io.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Securities/aargostokenized-alternative-investment-fund-aif-5e2b7c91ddcbf1085ee12374

Uniswap: an easier way to trade ERC-20 tokens @decryptmedia #Business #collectibles #DeFi #Ethereum #uniswap

Our DeFi Guy explains how he used the smart contract interface for swapping ERC20 tokens to buy a tiny fraction of a collectible T-shirt. Crazy!

The post Uniswap: an easier way to trade ERC-20 tokens appeared first on Decrypt.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Decrypt/uniswap-an-easier-way-to-trade-erc20-tokens-5e2b7ba1ddcbf1085ee12373

Draper Goren Holm to lead the seed round for LunarCRUSH @cryptoslate #Venture Capital

LunarCRUSH is preparing for a seed round that is set to push its platform towards “disrupting the investing, education, and trading aspects of cryptocurrency.”

LunarCRUSH finds seed round lead

Draper Goren Holm, a venture studio fo...

LunarCRUSH is preparing for a seed round that is set to push its platform towards “disrupting the investing, education, and trading aspects of cryptocurrency.”

LunarCRUSH finds seed round lead

Draper Goren Holm, a venture studio focused on accelerating and incubating blockchain and crypto startups, will lead a seed round for the crypto data analytics provider LunarCRUSH. The Draper Venture Network will enable this firm to have access to a wide range of partnership and capital as well as other portfolio companies. LunarCRUSH will gain exclusive advisory and marketing outreach through the partnership.

Alon Goren, one of Draper Goren Holm’s founding partners, explained why his company decided to help LunarCRUSH reach its long-term goals.

Goren said:

“The product is strong. The team is strong. The user growth is strong. Even if we weren’t absolutely in love with this platform, it would be hard to ignore LunarCRUSH because they are made of what every seed investor dreams of.”

Along the same lines, Joe Vezzani, founder and CEO of LunarCRUSH, said to be excited about the opportunities presented through the partnership and looks forward to helping newcomers maximize their success.

Vezzani stated:

“It is an exciting time to be growing a business in the cryptocurrency space. Our platform is helping experienced and new investors discover the power cryptocurrencies can bring to their investment portfolios and their lives.”

LunarCRUSH becomes the first company since Draper Goren Holm’s fund was officially launched on Dec. 9, 2019.

The post Draper Goren Holm to lead the seed round for LunarCRUSH appeared first on CryptoSlate.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Cryptoslate/draper-goren-holm-to-lead-the-seed-round-for-lunarcrush-5e2b77e1ddcbf1085ee12372

Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity Services Grew Six-Fold Last Quarter @crypto_briefing #Business #Ripple #XRP

Ripple Insights has published its quarterly markets report, which reveals that the company and its XRP token experienced mixed growth in 2019.

Ripple’s On...

Ripple Insights has published its quarterly markets report, which reveals that the company and its XRP token experienced mixed growth in 2019.

Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) services, which facilitate cross-border settlements, saw noticeable growth. These services handled 550% more value in Q4 of 2019 than they did in Q3. In raw transactions, those services saw a 290% increase in activity.

This growth is reportedly due to greater adoption. In less than a year, over 24 financial companies signed on for ODL, including Viamericas, FlashFX and Interbank Peru.

Ripple’s most notable client may be MoneyGram, which began to use Ripple’s services last August. This partnership has been particularly successful in Mexico, a market where MoneyGram is moving 10% of its volume through ODL.

Fewer Exchange Sales

Despite growing demand for ODL, Ripple sold relatively little the XRP token in Q4. Though this was partially due to a change in its measurements, Ripple also cut back its sales deliberately in order to act as “disciplined, responsible stakeholders.”

The company paused programmatic sales entirely in Q4, causing sales in that category to fall to zero. In a separate category, Ripple executed over-the-counter (OTC) sales with a “few strategic partners,” but significantly reduced those sales as well.

Via Ripple Insights

The end result is that Ripple sold just $13 million XRP tokens over the course of Q4. This represents a five-fold decrease from Q4, when it sold $66 million worth of XRP.

Additionally, XRP’s daily trading volumes fell to $187 million in Q4. By contrast, the token’s daily volume in Q3 was $198 million, and its daily volume in Q2 was $430 million.

Token Supply and Demand

At first glance, these trends suggest that XRP is no longer highly sought after. However, Ripple seems to be releasing its XRP token into circulation in a calculated way.

It’s not yet clear if this strategy will affect prices positively. In the short term, XRP lost about 23% of its market value during the last quarter of 2019. By comparison, Bitcoin only lost about 14% of its market value during the same period.

It is possible that XRP token prices may not be a concern in the future: Ripple CTO David Schwartz recently proposed an XRP-backed stablecoin to help users avoid volatility.

In the meantime, practical applications targeted at consumers may drive up demand for the token. This week, the popular payment processor BitPay integrated XRP payments, allowing merchants to accept the cryptocurrency.

The post Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity Services Grew Six-Fold Last Quarter appeared first on Crypto Briefing.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Crypto Briefing/ripples-ondemand-liquidity-services-grew-sixfold-last-quarter-5e2aad604d009a2c5349fa60

Bitcoin Thieves Arrested in Japan for Pilfering $700k in BTC @bitcoinist #Bitcoin #Bitcoin Exchange #News #News teaser #bitcoin #btc #CoinExchange #hack #Japan

japanese bitcoin thieves arrested
The Japanese police arrested two suspects for the theft of Bitcoin (BTC) from the coffers of the relatively small market operator CoinExchange. Internal Information Helped Order Bitcoin Withdrawals for Personal Enrichment Yuto Onitsuka, 25, and Takuma Sasaki, 28, reportedly stole 78 million yen in Bitcoins, equivalent to about $710,000, reported Japan Times. The theft was possible for former employee Onitsuka, who knew the access credentials to the wallets of CoinExchange. The small market operator closed in late 2019, after accruing losses due to the bear market. The theft happened in October 2018, about a year before the exchange closed when Bitcoin had stabilized around $6,400. The BTC stolen was tracked to foreign and domestic exchanges, thus identifying the culprits. Onitsuka and Sasaki reportedly never met each other, and only communicated through crypto-related bulletin boards. Sasaki used the login credentials to order BTC withdrawals from one of the exchange’s hot wallets. Former Employee Possibly Precipitated the Bankruptcy and Closing of CoinExchange Statements by Onitsuka also suggest the actions may have precipitated the bankruptcy of CoinExchange. The Bitcoin withdrawals harmed the already failing exchange operator, and Onitsuka wanted to additionally protest against the company’s management. Sources have suggested Onitsuka wanted to bankrupt the company for internal struggle and disagreements. The theft of roughly 100 BTC at 2018 prices was relatively small in comparison to other exchange heists. But the involvement of an employee suggests that heists are sometimes more easily explained with the human factor, and having access to hot or cold wallets. The exchange, which was one of the smaller altcoin markets, did not have a process of internal controls to stop abuses. Hence, only one set of credentials was enough to order a withdrawal, and there were no internal controls on where the Bitcins went. The theft also left plenty of traces, as the funds were liquidated and sent to Sasaki’s bank account. The funds stolen were used for travel and personal expenses, with no attempts to conceal the transfers. Japan has been the scene of relatively large coin heists, which affected the CoinCheck exchange. Other markets affected include Bitpoint, Remixpoint, and Zaif. The trend accelerated in 2019 when more exchange thefts were noted worldwide. Japanese exchanges have slowed down their activity, winding down from the peak of the bull market where Japanese investors made up to 60% of Bitcoin trading volumes. Altcoins also slowed down their turnover, even ones highly active on the Japanese market. Japanese Bitcoin exchanges are highly regulated, requiring KYC and local bank accounts, but have been heavily affected by heists, which are still under investigation. What do you think about the CoinExchange Bitcoin heist? Share your thoughts in the comments section below! Image via Shutterstock The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/Bitcoinist/bitcoin-thieves-arrested-in-japan-for-pilfering-700k-in-btc-5e2aa4f24d009a2c5349fa5f

This French startup will use blockchain to fight air pollution @decryptmedia #Business #algorand #Blockchain #climate change #cryptocurrency #environment #Technology

Save the planet to earn PLANET.

The post This French startup will use blockchain to fight air pollution appeared first o...

Save the planet to earn PLANET.

The post This French startup will use blockchain to fight air pollution appeared first on Decrypt.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Decrypt/this-french-startup-will-use-blockchain-to-fight-air-pollution-5e2aa1314d009a2c5349fa5e

Ten ways PrimeXBT’s advanced tools can bolster ROI @cryptoslate #Sponsored

Traders rave about PrimeXBT because they love the platform’s trading tools and built-in charting software, but the real reason they can’t stop clamoring about t...

Traders rave about PrimeXBT because they love the platform’s trading tools and built-in charting software, but the real reason they can’t stop clamoring about the platform is because of the ROI they regularly churn out of their trading strategies.

After all, a trader’s main goal is to turn a profit and grow their capital as quickly and as safely as can be, and few platforms offer trader’s the tools to generate returns consistently while keeping risk to a bare minimum.

Here are the top ten ways traders are using PrimeXBT’s advanced trading tools to squeeze more profits out of the market than ever before and bolster their ROI.

Low Trading Fees

Not all trades are home runs, and for those smaller victories, oftentimes they can seem that much smaller after broker fees are taken, and all that’s left is a measly profit. Traders regularly get frustrated that a large portion of their profits go right back to the broker, causing many who have yet to master the market to give up preemptively.

PrimeXBT offers some of the lowest trading fees and overnight financing fees in the entire market. Low fees means more profit back in your pocket, and much more motivation to keep trading.

Ultra-Fast Order Execution

When you see the perfect setup, you don’t want to wait to get an entry and risk missing out on the ideal price point. PrimeXBT’s ultra-fast order execution ensures when you choose market buy or sell, the order is executed immediately, at the price that is currently displayed, with no delays.

Stop or limit orders also trigger the moment a price is reached, without fail, even during times of extreme volatility thanks to the platform’s reliable trading engine.

Minimal Spreads Between Bid and Ask

Getting the right entry or exit is one of the most important parts of a successful trader’s strategy and can make the difference between profits or getting stopped out at a loss.

PrimeXBT’s offers some of the tightest spreads across the market, and orders trigger with no slippage, ensuring the price you want is the price you get.

Built-In Charting Tools

Markets are tricky, but those that regularly perform technical analysis can usually gain a competitive edge against traders that don’t. Rather than having to rely on a third-party service, traders on PrimeXBT can use the built-in charting tools with dozens of the most commonly used indicators that professionals swear by.

Indicators include the MACD, RSI, Bollinger Bands, Williams Alligator, and many others. In addition, orders can also be placed directly from the chart itself, for the most accurate entries and exits.

Advanced Order Types

Thanks to PrimeXBT’s built-in charting tools, you’ll always know where or when you want to enter or exit a position.

Using the advanced order types offered by the platform, including stop-loss and take profit orders, traders can easily keep any risk to an absolute minimum, and maximize profits by ensuring profits are taken when key levels are reached.

Open Hedge Positions

Finding a short position in profit, but your gut and indicators tell you that the market may be turning around? With PrimeXBT, you can hold both short and long positions simultaneously to hedge against reversals without sacrificing profit.

Advanced traders can also build a portfolio using anti-correlated or uncorrelated assets to further hedge their trades.

Progressive Discount System

As if the fees weren’t low enough, PrimeXBT ups the ante by offering a multi-level progressive discount system to reward the platform’s most active traders with more profit in their pockets.

Traders with 300 BTC to 600 BTC turnover will receive a 25% trading fee discount, while those with over 600 BTC turnover will get a massive 50% off discount. A trader’s progress toward each level can be tracked in the website’s account dashboard, encouraging traders to keep trading and grow their discount levels.

Gear Profits With Up to 1000x Leverage

One of the biggest draws of PrimeXBT and the largest way in contributes to growing a trader’s ROI significantly and quickly is by offering up to 1000x leverage on the assets offered on the platform.

Leverage multiplies a position by a factor of up to 1000x, meaning any profits generated are also magnified by up to 1000 times.

Grow Referral Network For Added Revenue Stream

Those that want to take their earnings to the next level, and really bolster their ROI, should aggressively seek to grow their affiliate network through PrimeXBT. Their referral program is a four-level system, where each you earn a portion of the fees of not only each new referral,, but any new referrals your referrals sign up as well – up to four levels deep.

There’s also a CPA program, or for those with large followings, a combination of the two for the greatest possible revenue stream.

Build the Ideal Portfolio

Markets are on fire lately, with traditional stock indices reaching local highs, Bitcoin rallying over 40%, oil exploding in value over growing concerns in the Middle East, and safe-haven assets like gold are beginning a new bull run.

It’s the perfect time for traders to profit from a variety of markets at once, and build a portfolio across crypto, forex, commodities, stock indices, and more.

Summary

While this list of features is already exhaustive, it’s still only scratching the surface of the wealth of profit-generating tools traders can use to regularly improve their ROI when using PrimeXBT.

With up to 1000x leverage, traditional and digital assets, and the most advanced tools around, it’s no wonder why traders everywhere gloat about their earnings using the platform.

The post Ten ways PrimeXBT’s advanced tools can bolster ROI appeared first on CryptoSlate.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Cryptoslate/ten-ways-primexbts-advanced-tools-can-bolster-roi-5e2aa1314d009a2c5349fa5d

Ripple’s IPO could come within 12 months, suggests CEO @TheBlock__ #Ripple #$XRP #Brad Garlinghouse #IPO #Ripple IPO

Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, has indicated that the firm could go public in the next 12 months.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Garlinghouse told</...

Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, has indicated that the firm could go public in the next 12 months.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Garlinghouse

told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that an initial public offering (IPO) is a “natural evolution” for the company.

“In the next 12 months, you’ll see IPOs in the crypto/blockchain space. We’re not going to be the first and we’re not going to be the last, but I expect us to be on the leading side… it’s a natural evolution for our company,” he said.

Just last month, Ripple raised a whopping $200 million in Series C funding, which is usually the last step before a company goes public. The Series C round valued the blockchain payments firm at $10 billion.

Ripple has raised a total of $293.6 million in funding to date, according to Crunchbase. It remains to be seen how much more Ripple ends up raising in an IPO.

Earlier this week, Ripple reported sales figures of XRP for the fourth quarter and saw an 80% drop. The firm sold a total of $13.08 million in XRP in Q4, compared with $66.24 million in the previous quarter. The Q4 sales figures are the lowest in the past three years, according to The Block's research. The price of XRP also declined by 22% during Q4.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/The Block/ripples-ipo-could-come-within-12-months-suggests-ceo-5e2aa0414d009a2c5349fa5c

Will a Ripple IPO Spell Doom for XRP Prices? @bitcoinist #Ripple #Brad Garlinghouse #Davos #IPO #ripple #XRP

Ripple IPO could affect XRP...
Ripple IPO could affect XRP
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal at Davos 2020, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse pretty much-confirmed intentions to take the company public. The effects on XRP as an investment could be catastrophic. Ripple Chief Speaks of IPO According to reports in Ripple-centric media and tweets from company executives, Brad Garlinghouse has virtually confirmed that an IPO is on the cards for the fintech firm. There was nothing on his own feed, but SVP of Product Asheesh Birla tweeted this earlier; “We’re not going to be the first and we’re not going to be the last, but I expect us to be on the leading side… it’s a natural evolution for our company.” “In the next 12 months, you’ll see IPOs in the crypto/blockchain space. We’re not going to be the first and we’re not going to be the last, but I expect us to be on the leading side… it’s a natural evolution for our company.” –@bgarlinghouse at #WEF20 — Asheesh Birla (@ashgoblue) January 23, 2020 Floating on the stock market would give investors another way into the company without the volatility and regulatory restrictions of crypto. So what does this mean for the future of XRP as an investment and tradable asset? Ripple aficionados were positive and of the opinion that it would be bullish for the company and their tokens. However, the wider crypto community has been speaking its mind as usual and, aside from that loyal XRP Army, most are of a similar opinion. Popular crypto trader ‘Anondran’ had this to say; “WTF. $XRP is planning to do an IPO??? As if printing worthless coins, pumping it and making billions of dollars wasn’t enough? Send this shitcoin to absolute depth of hell.” Fellow trader ‘Cantering Clark’ let fly with this … “Oh, uh guys, yeah we are actually going to IPO now, and offer shares that carry equity…so,…uh…about those coins. (Obsolete)” @bgarlinghouse just pulled the ultimate fade on $XRP holders… Oh, uh guys, yeah we are actually going to IPO now, and offer shares that carry equity..so,…uh….about those coins. (Obsolete) — Cantering Clark (@CanteringClark) January 24, 2020 The San Francisco based crypto firm’s tokens have often been considered unregistered securities and thus subject to future crackdowns from US regulators. The firm is still locked in a court case trying to establish the status of XRP but no verdict has arrived as yet. As Bitcoinist reported earlier this week, XRP prices could well skyrocket if it is considered a commodity. With an IPO on the table however, institutional investors are likely to take that option via their brokers rather than dabble in tokens directly. It would net the company, and its executives, more money but not necessarily XRP holders. 2019: A Year To Forget For XRP XRP has had a terrible 2019, falling 47% over the year and ending it at a two year low below $0.20. Continued token manipulation by the company has infuriated investors to the stage that community leaders even proposed a hard fork. As crypto markets cool, XRP again finds itself in the red today dumping 4% on the day to $0.22. Even the proposition of an IPO hasn’t managed to lift token prices in the short term so long term impacts may be far worse. Is Ripple going public bad for XRP prices? Add your thoughts below. Images via Shutterstock, Twitter: @ashgoblue The post appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/Bitcoinist/will-a-ripple-ipo-spell-doom-for-xrp-prices-5e2a9b914d009a2c5349fa5b

Thursday 23 January 2020

Ethereum could be primed for a move to over $200 despite ongoing selloff @cryptoslate #Altcoins #Analysis #Price Watch

Ethereum (ETH) has been closely tracking Bitcoin’s price action over the past couple of weeks, which allowed it to post massive gains throughout the first part of the month, before setting a local top that has been followed by firmly bearish downs...

Ethereum (ETH) has been closely tracking Bitcoin’s price action over the past couple of weeks, which allowed it to post massive gains throughout the first part of the month, before setting a local top that has been followed by firmly bearish downside.

In spite of this, analysts are noting that Ethereum is fast approaching a key technical support level that is brimming with buy orders, which means that a visit to this level could catalyze a move to $200 or higher.

Ethereum reels towards $160 as crypto markets begin establishing downtrend

At the time of writing, Ethereum is trading down just under 3 percent at its current price of $161.80, which marks a notable decline from its daily highs of $166 that were set around this time yesterday.

Over a slightly larger timeframe, it becomes apparent just how notable the cryptocurrency’s recent downtrend is, as it is currently trading down from intra-rally highs of nearly $180.

This poor price action has led the cryptocurrency to retrace over 10% from these highs, which has come about in tandem with Bitcoin’s fall from highs of $9,200 to its current price within the lower-$8,000 region.

It is important to note that Ethereum has formed a bullish technical formation on its weekly chart, which Satoshi Flipper – a popular crypto analyst on Twitter – explained could lead the crypto up towards highs within the $300 region after one more sharp pullback.

“ETH Weekly Heikin Ashi = Bullish,” he said while pointing to the formation seen on the below chart.

Ethereum ETH
Image Courtesy of Satoshi Flipper

The next ETH pullback could spark a violent upwards movement

Satoshi Flipper is not alone in believing that Ethereum could see one more pullback before it posts a massive rally, as Calmly, another respected cryptocurrency analyst, noted that he is eying a pullback to $155 before it rallies to $180 or higher. He explained:

“Ethereum / ETH – I’m still not convinced we see bullish continuation yet. Last time we were at this weekly s/r lvl, we consolidated for 12 weeks before finally breaking down. I think it will take more than one test of this lvl for it to break. I expect to see ~$155 before $180.”

Ethereum ETH
Image Courtesy of Calmly

Although ETH’s ongoing selloff may cut slightly deeper, it is likely that this will act as a catalyst for further gains.

The post Ethereum could be primed for a move to over $200 despite ongoing selloff appeared first on CryptoSlate.



source https://www.tokentalk.co/Cryptoslate/ethereum-could-be-primed-for-a-move-to-over-200-despite-ongoing-selloff-5e2a93214d009a2c5349fa5a

A Bitcoin Plunge To $8,000 On The Horizon, As Bulls Show Weak Hands @newsbtc #Analysis #Bitcoin #bitcoin #btc

Bitcoin price failed to stay above the key $8,500 support area and extended its decline against the US Dollar. BTC price is likely to continue lower towards $8,000 or $7,880. Bitcoin started a strong corrective decrease from the $9,200 resistance ar...Bitcoin price failed to stay above the key $8,500 support area and extended its decline against the US Dollar. BTC price is likely to continue lower towards $8,000 or $7,880. Bitcoin started a strong corrective decrease from the $9,200 resistance area. The price broke the key $8,500 and $8,470 support levels to move further into a bearish zone. Yesterday’s highlighted key bearish trend line is active with resistance near $8,470 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair is likely to extend its decline towards the $8,000 support level in the near term. Bitcoin Price Is Facing Hurdles Yesterday, we discussed the importance of the $8,500 and $8,470 support levels for bitcoin against the US Dollar. BTC price failed to stay in the bullish zone and recently declined below $8,470. Moreover, there was a close below $8,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. As a result, there was a downside extension and the price traded below $8,300. A new weekly low is formed near $8,263 and the price is currently consolidating losses. An initial resistance for the bulls is near the $8,380 level. It coincides with the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $8,794 high to $8,263 low. The first major resistance on the upside is near the $8,470 level (the recent breakdown level). Additionally, yesterday’s highlighted key bearish trend line is active with resistance near $8,470 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin Price The next key resistance is near $8,500 and $8,520. It coincides with the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $8,794 high to $8,263 low. Therefore, bitcoin price must settle above $8,470 and $8,520 to move back into a positive zone. In the mentioned case, it could revisit the $8,800 resistance area. BTC Could Revisit $8,000 If BTC price continues to slide, it could struggle to stay above the $8,200 support area. In the mentioned case, there are high chances of it hitting the $8,000 support level in the near term. Overall, bitcoin is showing a few bearish signs and it seems an interim top is formed near $9,200. The next set of bearish targets could be $8,000 or $7,800, below which the bears might even aim $7,200. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is slowly gaining pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now well below the 40 level, with bearish signs. Major Support Levels – $8,200 followed by $8,000. Major Resistance Levels – $8,470, $8,500 and $8,520. The post appeared first on NewsBTC.

source https://www.tokentalk.co/NewsBTC/a-bitcoin-plunge-to-8000-on-the-horizon-as-bulls-show-weak-hands-5e2a7d9152cc1cff492189b3

This analyst says there’s a “high chance” Bitcoin may never fall under $5k again @cryptoslate #Analysis #Price Watch

Once Bitcoin (BTC) started to incur strong losses in the second half of 2019, analysts were once again making extremely low price prediction...