​​*?* Good afternoon
Date:07.12.2018

✔️ Buffett Bet 2.0: Asset Manager Wagers Crypto Fund Will Beat S&P 500**Cryptocurrency asset manager Morgan Creek Digital is betting $1 million that its crypto fund will outperform the S&P 500, calling the challenge Buffett Bet 2.0 to mimic the billionaire investor’s famous bet. The wager is expected to be taken by “someone who is bullish on the S&P 500, or someone who thinks cryptocurrencies are worthless or overvalued.”

*? Chinese Miners Short BTC Markets to Hedge Against Falling Prices*The price of bitcoin core (BTC) has dropped considerably over the past few months, significantly affecting individuals and organizations that mine the cryptocurrency. According to recent reports, many miners in China are now short selling bitcoins to hedge against falling digital asset prices.

*? Bithumb Overtook Binance as Largest Spot Exchange by Daily Volumes in November*Cryptocompare, the cryptocurrency market data aggregator, has published its monthly exchange review for November 2018, offering insights about the latest changes in the global market using transaction data from over 70 trading venues.

*☝? What Grin and Mimblewimble Mean for the Future of Bitcoin Privacy*In a little over a month, one of the most eagerly anticipated cryptocurrency projects in recent times will launch. There will be no ICO or premine, and, like the transactions themselves, the project team are highly private. Grin, the first network to utilize Mimblewimble cryptography, has wide-ranging implications for privacy that could ultimately shape the future of the Bitcoin network.

*? Troubled Crypto Exchange Wex Finds New Owner*Cryptocurrency exchange Wex, successor of the infamous BTC-e, has a new owner. Dmitry Havchenko, a former Ukrainian entrepreneur turned separatist fighter, has reportedly bought the coin trading platform through a family member. He now wants to restore it and also to track down the lost “Vinnik’s treasure.”

​​❗️**Good afternoon
Date:06.12.2018

? Bitwise Launches Bitcoin Fund, Driven by Client Interest**

Bitwise Asset Management has launched two new cryptocurrency funds, one of which only invests in BTC. The launch “is driven by inbound client interest and investor dissatisfaction with existing options,” the company says. The market downturn has also given investors “a unique opportunity to enter the market at prices many thought we’d never see again.”

*? Coinmarketbook Gauges Cryptocurrencies by Buy Support Rather Than Market Cap*

A lot of cryptocurrency enthusiasts and market observers reference websites that measure the digital asset economy by market capitalization. Now there’s a new data website, Coinmarketbook.cc, that calculates a cryptocurrency’s buy support based on order books held on various exchanges.

⛓ Cryptocurrencies Are Still Blood Red

As 2018 nears an end, cryptocurrency prices are dipping once again, having seen significant losses since the start of the year. This Wednesday, Dec. 5, the entire digital asset economy is valued at roughly $120 billion and most of the top 10 coins have lost 6-15% in value over the last 24 hours and 15-35% in the last week.

⭐️ Chat Bot Advises Crypto Startups and Investors

Three Ukrainian companies have developed an English-language chat bot that provides consulting services to businesses and investors in the crypto industry. The AI-based platform, Ailo, offers a range of automated services but it can also deal with cases that require human intervention and professional legal advice.

? Venezuelans Remain Skeptical After President Maduro Raises Petro’s Value

Nicolas Maduro’s move to increase the price of the petro, the country’s oil-backed cryptocurrency designed to counter inflation, has sparked intense debate. Experts and tech-savvy Venezuelans alike are less than enthusiastic about the Venezuelan president’s decision.

​​*?* Good afternoon
Date:05.12.2018

?? Japan’s Money Forward Announces Details of Upcoming Crypto Exchange**

Japanese public company Money Forward, operator of a personal budgeting app with 7 million users, is preparing to launch a crypto exchange. Three cryptocurrencies will be supported.

? Political Decentralization: Freeing the Internet From Monopolists With Crypto-Tech

The internet was born from an ideal for information to be shared by all, with all, and was seen as the archetypal decentralized system. Today, however, commercialization by monopolistic and powerful actors has created a system in which we are shown information paid for by the highest bidders, and can only access what the wealthy and powerful permit.

? Bitfinex Adds Four Stablecoins Including GUSD and USDC

Bitfinex, together with its sister exchange Ethfinex, has announced the introduction of four new stablecoins. The additions take the platforms’ total number of dollar-pegged tokens to six and provide a reassuring range of tether alternatives for traders. Trustless, Ethfinex’s decentralized exchange (DEX), will also be listing all six, including the Gemini dollar (GUSD) and Circle’s USD Coin (USDC).

✏️ Vertcoin Network Suffers 300-Block Reorg Following 51% Attacks

Vertcoin (VTC) is currently struggling with a series of 51 percent attacks and a number of blockchain reorganizations. According to recently published data, the vertcoin chain has experienced over 22 reorgs and has lost more than $100,000 due to the attacks, with the last reorg clocking in at over 300 blocks deep.

? Chinese Government-Backed Company to Launch Stablecoin by February

Grandshores Technology Group is a public company affiliated with a 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) fund backed by the government of Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang Province. It is known to be developing a new stablecoin, which is now expected to hit the market by February 2019.

​​? Good afternoon
Date:04.12.2018

*⛓ Swiss Crypto Valley Association Leadership Steps Down After Governance Review*

More than half of the members of Switzerland’s Crypto Valley Association (CVA) board have announced their decision to step down in January. The news comes after reports about governance issues and allegations of conflicts of interest in the leadership of the growing organization.

? November Volume Rankings: Bearish Momentum Drives Surge in Trade

The significant bearish momentum experienced across cryptocurrencies throughout November drove a significant increase in monthly trade volume among the leading markets.

? US Law Enforcement Wants Blockchain Surveillance Tools for Privacy Coins

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published its 2019 fiscal year pre-solicitation document. Throughout the 27-page letter, the organization explains that it wants to dedicate resources toward creating blockchain forensic applications that can analyze privacy-centric digital asset movements. Prior efforts have addressed bitcoin analytics and now the agency wants surveillance tools for cryptocurrencies like monero and zcash.

☝? Former Israeli Prime Minister Calls Cryptocurrencies a ‘Ponzi Scheme’

Ehud Barak served as the prime minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001. These days he makes a lot of money as an investor and co-founder of startup companies in such fields as cyber espionage and cannabis. However, he seems to think that investing in cryptocurrency is less legitimate.

? A Cashless Society – Utopia or Dystopia?

From Stockholm to New York, major global hubs are ditching cash for cards. As contactless payment devices including smartphones and smartwatches proliferate, hard currency is falling out of favor. But for all the convenience that touch payments bring, the cashless transition has major ramifications for the most underserved segments of society.

​​*? Good afternoon
Date:03.12.2018*

? New Software Copernicus Has Mined Its First Bitcoin Cash Block

On Saturday, Dec. 1, the Copernicus project announced the launch of its full node implementation pre-release written in the programming language Golang (Go). Following the release, the client was used to generate the first Golang version of a Bitcoin Cash block mined at height 558847.

⚜️ Maduro Orders Price of Venezuela’s ‘Cryptocurrency’ to More Than Double

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has announced that the price of the petro, his country’s national “cryptocurrency,” has been increased from 3,600 sovereign bolivars to 9,000. While the wallet for the petro is still unavailable, the Venezuelan government continues to sell the digital currency and issue certificates of purchase to buyers.

? G20 Leaders Declare Commitment to Regulate Crypto Assets

While some countries have taken the lead to regulate various aspects of using cryptocurrencies, many have left the matter completely up in the air. This might soon change as pressure is mounting on governments to develop standards for crypto regulations, as evident by the latest G20 meeting of top politicians from around the world.

? Intel Awarded a Patent for an Energy Efficient Bitcoin Mining Process

On Nov. 27, the world’s second-largest semiconductor chip maker, Intel, was granted a patent for a processing system that mines Bitcoin but utilizes more “energy-efficient hardware accelerators.” According to the patent called the “Optimized SHA256 Datapath,” the newly invented “high-performance” Bitcoin mining process could reduce overall power consumption by 15 percent.

? Japanese Crypto Exchange to Relaunch as Part of Huobi After Buyout

A regulated Japanese cryptocurrency exchange is shutting down to relaunch as part of the Huobi family. The new exchange will support six cryptocurrencies and 11 trading pairs. Existing Bittrade customers need to open new accounts, complete KYC verification, and transfer their assets to the new platform.

​​? Good afternoon
Date:30.11.2018

? Bloxroute Joins the Block Size Debate With New Block Propagation Service

Over the last few weeks, the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) community has been discussing how miners and nodes will handle bigger blocks in the future to encourage mass adoption. A company called Bloxroute has been coming up a lot lately, as it aims to resolve the block propagation bottleneck.

? LCX Now Licensed to Provide Crypto Trading Services in Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein cryptocurrency exchange LCX has been granted a license to provide crypto trading services for utility and payment tokens. The exchange will be offering four main crypto services including a custody service and a fiat-to-crypto exchange in partnership with Binance.

? Research Exposes Anti-Bitcoin Bias in Mainstream Media

Recent research on the tone and frequency of cryptocurrency coverage in the mainstream media over the past five years suggests that some news outlets appear to be much more biased against Bitcoin than the norm. The results also indicate that overall sentiment has become more negative with time.

? Honoring Satoshi’s Vision: Toward a Better Crypto User Experience

Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper laid out an intoxicating vision for a “purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash” — free of involvement and interference from third-party intermediaries.

*?? Binance Terminates Services for Users in Belarus*

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has informed Belarusian customers that its services will no longer be available in their country. The announcement follows reports of similar restrictions for residents of other nations under economic sanctions, such as the Islamic Republic of Iran and Zimbabwe.

​​*? Good afternoon
Date:29.11.2018*

⚖️ Court Drops Charges Against Alleged Btc-e Operator Alexander Vinnik

The lawsuit against alleged Btc-e operator Alexander Vinnik for “fraud, money laundering, and other grave crimes” filed in Cyprus has reportedly been dropped. His lawyer says the case “fell apart at the very early stage” at the initiative of the plaintiffs themselves.

? Korean Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Promote Crypto Trading

A South Korean lawmaker has reportedly introduced a bill to promote cryptocurrency trading and the development of crypto exchanges. In addition to requirements such as capital, manpower, and internal systems, the bill proposes establishing a committee to promote and support crypto trading.

? ? What’s New and What’s Next

It’s been two weeks since the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) hard fork that upgraded the BCH chain and resulted in a blockchain split. But although many people have been focusing on the birth of Bitcoin SV, a number of BCH proponents are already moving forward and discussing the network’s latest upgrades, as well as the next hard fork scheduled for May.

? Outrage Over Union Bank of Nigeria’s Threat to Close Crypto-Related Accounts

Nigerian digital asset owners have reacted angrily to Union Bank’s threat to close all cryptocurrency-linked accounts. Investors have accused the local banking system of hypocrisy, asserting that banks are “unfit” and “scammers” that continue to steal from the poor through spurious charges such as ATM maintenance fees and SMS alerts.

? Bull Trap or Reversal? Traders Question the Recent Crypto Spike

Three days ago the crypto-economy suffered deep losses, with digital asset prices at their lowest across the board since September 2017. But on Wednesday the digital asset ecosystem started showing a slight recovery, as the entire market capitalization of all 2000+ coins gained $14 billion.

​​? **Good afternoon
Date:28.11.2018

? China Revises Crypto Ranking — BTC Upgraded**China’s Center for Information and Industry Development has updated its crypto project ranking for this month, moving BTC up several places while still favoring EOS and Ethereum. The center explains its evaluation model and outlines future projects.

*? Fine Jewelry Dealer Birks Group Now Accepts Bitcoin*On Tuesday, Canadian company Birks Group, a fine jewelry operation since 1879, announced its plan to accept bitcoin for products and services at eight select locations. Birks Group and its retail stores will accept cryptocurrencies through a partnership with Bitpay. The collaboration marks the first major implementation of Bitpay’s point-of-sale solution for brick-and-mortar locations within the Canadian region.

*? Nigeria’s Union Bank Threatens to Shut Down Cryptocurrency-Related Accounts*A large commercial bank in Nigeria has threatened to shut down an undisclosed number of cryptocurrency-related accounts without explanation. Lagos-based Union Bank claims that any decision to do so would be in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) past warnings about cryptocurrency trading.

*? BCH-Powered Bitcoin Files Project Adds IPFS Support*Last October, the developers of the Bitcoin Cash-powered Bitcoin Files project launched the first iteration of its censorship-resistant file sharing software. At the time, the platform allowed users to upload files of 5kb or less to the blockchain. Now, the latest Bitcoin Files release supports the decentralized Inter-Planetary File System (IPFS), allows users to upload much larger file sizes, and gives the ability to preview files before downloading.

*?Tether Reopens Fiat-USDT Redemption Platform*Tether is back in business. Its stablecoin platform, which has lain dormant since last year, is to reopen for fiat deposits and tether (USDT) redemption. The move, described by Tether as a “new vision,” ought to return its stablecoin to the parameters it was originally designed to meet. With a minimum fiat deposit of $100,000, however, Tether’s service will be off-limits to retail investors.

​​? Good afternoon
Date:27.11.2018

? Sweden Expects to Attract Norwegian Bitcoin Miners After Brutal Tax Hike

With Norway set to revoke electricity subsidies for cryptocurrency miners from January 2019 onward, Swedish data centers are anticipating a wave of inquiries from mining companies seeking to domicile in Sweden.

? Philippine Crypto Valley to Attract Companies From Japan, Korea and Australia

The Philippine government-owned Cagayan Economic Zone Authority has unveiled a plan to attract Japanese, Korean and Australian companies to its “Crypto Valley of Asia.” The authority is also cracking down on crypto companies operating within its economic zone without a license.

? Eight Historic Bitcoin Transactions

There’s nothing particularly special about a bitcoin transaction. Every day, 300,000 of them occur on the BTC and BCH networks without fanfare. But occasionally, a perfunctory transaction will attain historical significance. These bitcoin transfers can be viewed in any blockchain explorer, where they have been immortalized by the public ledger and mythologized by the public.

☘️ Petition to Free Ross Ulbricht Gathers 100,000 Signatures

Over the last few months, a petition aimed at freeing Ross Ulbricht from prison has garnered 100,000 signatures. The request addressed to U.S. president Donald Trump and hosted on Change.org explains that Ulbricht deserves clemency because his investigation, trial, and sentencing were rife with abuse.

? US State of Ohio Accepts Bitcoin for 23 Types of Taxes

The U.S. state of Ohio has set up a cryptocurrency payment portal and reportedly starts accepting payments in bitcoin for 23 types of taxes this week. “Ohio has become the first state in the United States, and one of the first governments in the world, to accept cryptocurrency,” the Treasurer’s Office wrote.

​​? **Good afternoon
Date:26.11.2018

? Thai SEC Warns Against 14 Unauthorized Cryptocurrency Operators**Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the public against 14 websites whose operators have been soliciting customers to buy and sell cryptocurrencies and related products. The regulator says these operators are not authorized to conduct crypto business in the country. Currently, only seven companies are temporarily approved for crypto operations.

*? Universities in New York, Tokyo and Luxembourg Support Crypto Development*Academic institutions from all corners of the world are offering classes on cryptocurrencies and supporting research initiatives in this burgeoning sector. From New York to Tokyo, universities are spearheading a plethora of crypto-themed courses.

*? BTC-e Operator Alexander Vinnik to Go on Hunger Strike, Lawyer Says*Alexander Vinnik, the suspected operator of the infamous BTC-e exchange, plans to start a hunger strike on Monday, days before his next court hearing. The Russian, who has been accused by U.S. authorities of laundering billions of dollars through the now-defunct crypto trading platform, fears he is not going to receive a fair trial.

*☝? Snowden: “Large Population” Believes in Bitcoin as Means of Exchange*

In a recent interview, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee and National Security Agency (NSA) subcontractor turned whistleblower, Edward Snowden, argued that the price and value of bitcoin is an expression of the “large population” that believes in its “usefulness” as a means of exchange.

*? Silk Road Fake Murder Mystery May Be Solved*

Rather than round up a series of stories from the deep web, this week we’re focusing on just the one. The tale, concerning Silk Road’s most enduring mystery, is so labyrinthine it warrants recounting in full.