Author: benson

  • Crypto Startups are going bankrupt – where do we go from here?

    Crypto Startups are going bankrupt – where do we go from here?

    As we tread deeper into the crypto winter, we begin to see the bodies of those who didn’t prepare well. With Ethereum plummeting over 95% from its all-time high, projects left holding Ethereum are left high and dry. 
    Research has shown that a significant portion of projects keep their funds in crypto, for example, Golem holds 369,023 ETH (valued at $33 Million)

    (Crypto) Winter is here

    Source: http://www.dailycal.org/2017/07/11/winter-cant-wait/

    We are starting to see layoffs at various crypto startups, including those behind top currencies such as Steemit and Ethereum. Many of these companies were not prepared for cryptocurrencies to take such an intense price nosedive.

    Here are 5 companies who have announced layoffs/ scale backs. 

    1. Consensys – 13% Staff laid off

    Consensys, the company backing Ethereum is reducing its workforce by 13%. This New York based company is one of the largest companies in crypto works on real-world solutions using Ethereum. Currently the restructuring is seen as the birth of “Consensys 2.0″, a brand new direction for the company. Whilst this might be the case, one ex-employee took to reddit to voice his grievances in an AMA

    2. ETCDEV – complete shutdown

    ETCDEV, the leading Ethereum Classic development company stopped all development and shut down completely. Its founder and tech-lead Igor Artamonov stated in a tweet that ETCDEV can no longer keep afloat. Whilst this is a strong blow to the Ethereum Classic (ETC) community, the price of ETC has not plummeted to zero – there are other development teams at work on this decentralized project

    3. Steemit Inc – 70% of Staff

    Steemit Incorporated, laid of 70% of their workforce citing the price of STEEM going below the “worst case scenario“. This restructuring also resulted in a significant cut in the company’s scope – their social media arm being cut completely. Steemit Inc will now focus primarily on the development of the STEEM blockchain rather than its social media website steemit.com

    4. DASH – Defensive Measures

    DASH Core Group (DCG) issued a pre-emptive notice that they will not make any drastic cut backs. However, the group has made cuts to stipends and ad hoc contributors who work on non-essential features. DCG has been under fire over the past year for having a high burn rate of 240,000 USD per month (allocated from by masternode voting). 

    5. Bitmain – Axed a research and development centre

    Bitmain, the mining equipment manufacturer cut an entire research and development division in Israel with 23 staff. Named BitmainTech, the Israeli division was established in 2016 to work on blockchain technology and artificial intelligence. 

    A Fresh New Start?

    One recurring theme with this wave of “restructuring” that it marks a new beginning. In many ways, crypto startups, especially those who raised through initial coin offerings were living a fantasy.

    During the bull market, the funny (but true) running joke was that if a project mentioned “blockchain” a venture capitalist would come out of the bushes and throw money at it. 

    Unfortunately, it is clear that a lot of these companies had no experience in financial management, nor any clue how to generate revenue to sustain long term operations. Whilst it might seem news of layoffs is a signal for doom and gloom in the blockchain space, I consider it a necessary step for the future.

    Let’s face it, we don’t live in a fantasy world where the money comes easy and results don’t matter. Crypto startups need to think about how to generate profit in the long term and find a way to sustain their operations. 

  • Mysterious death of NEO investor Zhang Shoucheng sparks fear of foul play

    Mysterious death of NEO investor Zhang Shoucheng sparks fear of foul play

    The sudden death of Danhua Capital (DHVC) founder Prof. Zhang Shoucheng (Prof. Zhang) shocked the crypto investment space this week.

    Zhang passed away this week at the age of 55 in an apparent suicide. His family has come out to say that he had struggled with depression – “There is no police investigation, and the authorities have no suspicions about Professor Zhang’s death“. 

    Prof. Zhang is a key player in the cryptospace, with his fund DHVC investing in projects like Zilliqa, NEO, Aelf, Open Platform, and Ontology.

    Suspicious of foul-play

    Video speculating there is more to the story is now #13 trending on YouTube with over 120,000 views

    The Chinese crypto scene immediately suspected foul play and took to social media to voice their suspicions. Moreover, huge dips are common in the cryptospace, with Bitcoin having undergone more than 329 “deaths. Many stated being a veteran investor, it is out of character for Zhang Shoucheng to take his own life. (Klonopin/)

    These rumors also express on various newspapers, including the South China Morning Post which drew a connection suspected this death may be tied to worsening conditions between US and China. 

    Prof. Zhang was definitely killed by someone” top comment on YouTube

    Danhua Capital (DHVC)

    Danhua Capital (DHVC) invested in numerous investments in the crypto, with some believing that have invested up to 70% of projects in the fintech and blockchain space. DHVC has invested in projects such as Tron, Zilliqa, NEO, Aelf, Open Platform, and Ontology.

    Angry investors?

    Accusations of foul play have been thrown around at numerous times, especially in Chinese social media. This is in light of the recent crash in cryptomarkets, with many cryptocurrencies dropping up to 95% in value. Some investors have not taken this lightly, as shown by the assault on OKex officers in Beijing

    Other Recent Posts

  • Cryptocurrency 101 – the Basics

    Cryptocurrency 101 – the Basics

    One way to describe cryptocurrency is that it is simply a digital cash system without a central entity. To realize digital cash you need a payment system with accounts, balances, and transactions. One major problem payment networks have to prevent is double spending: to prevent that one individual who spends the same amount twice. This is usually done by a central authority or body who keeps a record about the balances.

    In a decentralized system, there is no one person that is responsible for this. Every single part of the network has to fulfill this function. Every part needs to have a list with all transactions to check if future transactions are valid.

    Cryptocurrency and the blockchain

    Cryptocurrencies are also simply just limited entries in a database no one can change without fulfilling specific conditions. If you think about it, that can also be used to describe our current monetary system. Money in your bank account is basically entries in a database that can only be changed under specific conditions.

    Confirmation of transactions is a critical concept in cryptocurrencies. As long as something is unconfirmed, it leaves it open to forgery or falsification. When a transaction is recorded onto the blockchain, it can no longer be changed and it can’t be reversed.

    Peers in the network, or as they have come to be known, miners, can confirm transactions. They take transactions, stamp them as legit and spread them in the network. After a transaction is confirmed by a miner, every node has to add it to its database. It has become part of the blockchain.

    Cryptocurrency has derived its namesake from the strong cryptography process used to secure its consensus-keeping system. Cryptocurrencies are built on cryptography. They are not secured by people or by trust, but by math.

    Properties of Cryptocurrency

    Most cryptocurrencies share a common set of properties, but not all rules are set in stone. Some may focus more on privacy, while others boast faster transaction speeds of lower costs. Below are some of the more common characteristics you will find cryptocurrencies.

    • Transactions cannot be reversed – when your bitcoins are sent, there’s no getting them back, unless the recipient returns them to you. They’re gone forever. This makes it difficult to commit the kind of fraud that we often see with credit cards, in which people make a purchase and then contact the credit card company to make a chargeback, effectively reversing the transaction.
    • Decentralized – there is no central authority controlling it and that means goverments cant take it away from you.
    • Low cost – compared to bank transfers or international transfers, the fees are a lot lower.
    • Speedy – you can send money anywhere and it will arrive minutes later, as soon as the network processes the payment.
    • Secure and transparent – because all the transaction information is stored on the blockchain, people cannot trick or deceive you about what funds they have. Cryptocurrency funds are locked in a public key cryptography system. Only the owner of the private key can send cryptocurrency.
    • Pseudonymous – Neither transactions nor accounts are connected to real world identities.While it is usually possible to analyze the transaction flow, it is not necessarily possible to connect the real world identity of users with those addresses.
    • Store of value – Most cryptocurrencies have a limit to the supply of tokens that can be mined or created. Because of this controlled supply, there are no risks of inflation unlike fiat currencies where new money can suddenly be printed.
  • Blockchain Security: Hodlers Should Learn More About It

    Blockchain Security: Hodlers Should Learn More About It

    A Blockchain contains digitalized transaction “block” records where each block connects to a series of all the previous and future blocks. Although experts suggest that Blockchains are impenetrable, it does not elude the fact that hackers have found ways to paralyze impregnable walls. Therefore, security concerns continue to invade peoples mind. There exist various companies offering security services such as smart contract, penetration testing, and adequate knowledge regarding Blockchains. Many professionals advice interested parties to do thorough research and learn more about cryptocurrencies before joining the community. You can rely on the numerous training videos on YouTube or attend conferences. People and companies alike also need to understand Blockchain security from all angles.

    Security

    Individual curiosity is an integral part of understanding Blockchain security. You need a clear perception of who is in charge of your investment security and how third parties play their role. Note that, your CTO is not responsible for personal data protection. His/her area of expertise lies in scientific and technological issues within the organization like code and software development. Entrust your protection to a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) because their task is to provide adequate data and technology security.

    Their services cost a fortune but if you cannot afford one, hire a consultant to evaluate your security measures. He/she will pay attention to various areas of interests such as two-factor authentication and cyber-security employee policies. For instance, most hackers illegally penetrate corporate systems via email, instant messages, or promotion/reward links. Their aim usually entails stealing sensitive information like credit card details, passwords, and usernames. In short, everybody who uses the internet to transact is vulnerable to hackers.

    Every transaction follows a specific set of agreement for security purposes. Cryptocurrencies adopt smart contracts to control digital currency transfer through blockchain technology. The computer program eliminates the need for third parties because it digitally facilitates and negotiates terms. It is also a significant security protocol whose transactions can be tracked and reversed. Hackers operate using smart strategies like targeting both the top management and employees as well.

    Therefore, you should not solely rely on corporate protection especially if your passwords, username, and cell phone numbers are connected to your account or assets. It is extremely risky to expose your data through various devices to multiple platforms. Programmers across the world have developed security management apps like Dashlane to secure your passwords and wallets. Another alternative solution includes adopting a comprehensive multifactor authentication using launch keys. You can also apply the most recent security key development like Titan to verify login details over Bluetooth.

    The bottom line is that if you are currently in the cryptocurrency business (individually or as an organization), you are a target and so are your employees. Create different passwords for every account and enhance the verification process. Most importantly, do not trust anyone with your information and that includes private keys, passwords, username, etc. Blockchain agencies should consider training workers and extending useful solutions to hacking issues. The strategy strengthens not only personal security but also the entire corporation. Various costs are usually involved, and therefore, the relevant officers must create a budget to accommodate security changes.

    Regulations

    According to various sources, most people have yet to understand how cryptocurrencies work and their potential. Even after dominating the world news for a decade, over half the global population is unwilling to take risks. The industry is still young and expanding at best. Its high growth rate has triggered the need for regulations in various countries. Japan is among the first nations to legitimize cryptocurrencies followed by the United States. However, most governments issue notices about investing in the industry.

    The warnings pertain to risks involved especially since transacting organizations have no legal responsibilities to their clients. Some reports suggest that the electronic cash system creates a perfect atmosphere for terrorism and money laundering (due to anonymity). As such, several states have expanded laws on various criminal activities to include crypto markets. Others restrict crypto investments while nations like Nepal have banned all crypto activities altogether. In Qatar, citizens cannot operate locally, but they are at liberty to do so beyond the borders.

    Cryptocurrencies have also tapped into fundraising using Initial Coins Offering (ICO). However, most states regulate ICOs while others like China have completely banned them. Strict regulations have also discouraged people from investing, but most governments are working towards creating crypto-friendly regulatory systems that will attract investment and offer maximum protection to clients. Luxemburg and Cayman Island are among the nations that hardly view Blockchain technology as a threat. They aim to create their own cryptosystems including Venezuela and Marshall Island.

    Taxation, at its best, has yet to categorize cryptocurrencies and all its tax-worth activities. But different countries have adopted various references to regulate Blockchains by taxing them as assets, financial assets, foreign currency, income tax, etc. in the United Kingdom, crypto firms pay corporate tax, individuals pay capital gains tax, and unincorporated agencies pay income tax. The mining of cryptocurrencies is mostly affected by power taxation rules.

    The bottom line is that Blockchain security has unlimited options. Cryptocurrency companies can adopt smart contract auditing or hire consultants. (https://casadelninobilingual.com) More so, they should offer cybersecurity training to their staff and regulate internet access. Individuals, on the other hand, can maximize personal data protection through launch keys and two-factor authentication methods. Regulation-wise, governments are responsible in that, they can create crypto-friendly regulatory systems, impose the tax, or ban cryptocurrencies altogether.

  • US Congress Hearing “Examining the Cryptocurrencies and ICO Markets” – Summary

    US Congress Hearing “Examining the Cryptocurrencies and ICO Markets” – Summary

    Summary of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment (Committee on Financial Services) Hearing: “Examining the Cryptocurrencies and ICO Markets” held on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 (10:00 AM)

    General summary of the hearing

    • The hearing was devoted to discussing cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings (ICOs), and whether the current regulatory framework adequately protects investors.
    • Drawing from a mix of academic and industry witnesses, the hearing highlighted the divergent viewpointson the technology held by some of the members of Congress.
    • Ultimately, many subcommittee members expressed a commitment to strike a balance between oversight and the accommodationof technological innovation.

    Closing statement by the subcommittee chair, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI)

    “I believe this is probably hello, not goodbye.”

    Positive viewpoint

    • Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN)
    • a member of the cryptocurrency-friendly Congressional Blockchain Caucus
    • criticized politicians for calling for new regulations without taking the time to research and develop an adequate understanding of the technology

    “I hear elected officials who don’t have any concept of what we’re dealing with here and how exciting it is talking about, ‘Oh my gosh, we’ve got to run in and regulate and create more government infrastructure,’” commented Emmer, adding that although there needs to be modest cryptocurrency regulation, the access to capital that ICOs provide “is something Democrats and Republicans should celebrate.”

    • Some twitterers granted him the title of new “cryptodaddy”

    Negative viewpoint

    • Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
    • His biggest contributors are in finance and securities
    • Used all the old and regurgitated arguments to bash crypto, really didn’t offer anything new
    • Called cryptocurrencies a “crock” and expressed doubt that they can be used to accomplish any social good that cannot be achieved otherwise

    “Perhaps we’ll have another hearing after a major terrorist event” is financed using cryptocurrency,” he quipped, adding elsewhere that cryptocurrencies are only “popular with guys who want to sit in their pajamas and tell their wives they’re going to be millionaires.”

    • Lots of backlash on twitter

    Other views

    • Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC)
    • Applauded ICOs and other blockchain-related fintech advancements
    • Cautioned that the wrong regulations could threaten the US’ status as fintech leader

    “Regulation in this space is something that the U.S. has to get right, because poor or rushed policy in cryptocurrencies really threatens our reputation in finance and technology,”

     

    • Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
    • the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee
    • working on a cryptocurrency oversight bill that would cover exchanges that offer trading services for digital assets

     

    • Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI)
    • chairman of the Capital Markets, Securities and Investment subcommittee
    • declared his intention to pursue some kind of legislative action

    “This panel, this Congress is not going to sit by idly with a lack of protection for investors.”

     

    Coinbase view (local player in the industry):

    • Awesome technology with great potential
    • Can only realise this through responsible regulation
    • Lack of understanding, and thus, the lack of suitable regulations is harming the space
    • Because of this uncertainty, coinbase only operates with 4 cryptocurrencies: BTC, BCH, LTC and ETH
    • Coinbase, he said, determined that these digital assets qualify as a “virtual currencies”
    • the CFTC’s 2015 guidance that bitcoin and other virtual currencies are commodities,
    • a recent ruling that supported the CFTC’s classification of bitcoin as a commodity
    • the SEC’s July 2017 DAO report, which referred to Ether as a virtual currency.

    Mike Lempres, Chief Legal and Risk Officer at Coinbase wallet and cryptocurrency exchange, stated that the power of the digital currency’s technology can transform “capital formation, innovation and economy,” saying that its “tremendous potential” can be only achieved through “responsible regulation.”

    However, at the current stage, the US regulatory system “is harming healthy innovation” due to a lack of understanding of what should be allowed and what should be not, and how digital assets should be considered; either as securities, commodities, property, or money.

    For Lempres, the goal is to ensure that potential benefits from new technology are not harmed by uncertainty resulting from “regulatory or legal missteps.” Lempres provided a short review of the main US regulatory bodies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

    According to Lempres, the SEC, which is in charge of securities transactions, considers crypto as securities, while the CFTC who fully controls commodity derivatives transactions, claims that tokens are commodities. FinCEN has full authority for Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) matters, and considers tokens to be money. Meanwhile, according to the IRS, the digital coins should be considered as property for tax treatment. According to Lempres, this constitutes an extreme “lack of coordination.”

    Answering a question from the Subcommittee chairman Rep. Bill Huizenga, Lempres stated that Coinbase cannot start supporting ICOs until the necessary regulations are adopted.

    “We do not support any [ICO] at the current time because we are not sure what the regulatory [treatment] is… We are waiting for the dust to settle between the CFTC and SEC before we electively engage on supporting ICOs.”

     

    * The information contained in this article is for education purpose only and not financial advice. Do your own research before making any investment decisions. (cashcofinancial)

     

    Resources

    Video of the hearing – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CCqCsmCDdw

    Strong Words, Little Action: ICOs Draw Fire at US Congress Hearing

    Crypto Is a ‘Crock’? Twitter Reacts to House ICO Hearing

    At DC Hearing, Coinbase Calls Out Federal Regulators For ‘Harming Innovation’

    US Congress Debates ICOs, Cryptocurrency Regulation in House Subcommittee Hearing

    An analytical piece on how the hearing relates to and impacts ETH

  • Korean Exchange Ban “not finalized”

    Korean Exchange Ban “not finalized”

    The past few days have seen a lot of negative and even conflicting news coming out from mainstream media regarding crypto. First published by Reuters and picked up by various media outlets such as The New York Times, there were reports on Jan 10th that “South Korea’s Major Cryptocurrency Exchanges Raided by Police, Tax Authorities“. They alleged that cryptocurrency exchange operators were “raided” by police and tax authorities amid suspicions of tax evasion this week.

    After this was published, the values of most cryptocurrencies took a plunge. Bitcoin fell from just over $15k to a low of $13,105 in just a few hours. The market cap as a whole also dropped from over $800 billion to now around $700 billion.

    Reports were embellished

    Reports from inside South Korea however painted a different picture. They have said that the depiction of the events were not accurate and have been embellished by mainstream media outside the country.

    https://twitter.com/iamjosephyoung/status/951366424416567297

    FUD continues – clarifications from the government

    The bad news did not stop there. Reuters also published today that South Korea plans to ban cryptocurrency trading. The reports state that “Justice minister Park Sang-ki said the government was preparing a bill to ban trading of the virtual currency on domestic exchanges.”

    Because of the previous reports and the statements made by the Justice Minister, the government had to actually come out and clarify the issue. The Blue House, the executive office and official residence of the South Korean President, had to announce that there will be no cryptocurrency trading ban in the short-term.

    https://twitter.com/iamjosephyoung/status/951428854085689344

    Do your own due diligence

    As with everything, it is always best to exercise due diligence and do your own research. Even with reports from mainstream media, you never know if they have their own agenda and it is important that you don’t give into the fear and hype. (www.biolighttechnologies.com)

  • Ripple and XRP – Revolution or Scam?

    Ripple and XRP – Revolution or Scam?

    manafort.com) temp927.kinsta.cloud/what-is-ripple-and-xrp/”>Ripple has been booming lately as more and more financial institutions have started to use the service for its fast transactions and extremely low fees. As banks seek to move away from the somewhat outdated SWIFT system, the Ripple protocol and it’s token XRP has risen up as a viable alternative. Ripple is also a very controversial coin, with proponents talking about interest from banks and opponents worried about centralization and lack of real world adoption.

    Will there be a demand for Ripple and XRP

    Previously, there were concerns about the use of the token. In theory, it is possible to use the Ripple payment protocol without the XRP token and people were left to wonder about it’s worth. However, Ripple has recently tweeted that, “3 of the top 5 global money transfer companies plan to use XRP in payment flows in 2018”.

    Furthermore, the CEO of Ripple, Brad Garlinghouse, has also confirmed that banks and payment providers plan to use xRapid (the XRP liquidity product) in a serious way.

    Future outlook for Ripple – serious challenger to bitcoin or scam?

    Ripple, currently second in market capitalization, has been continuing on an upward trend. At press time, the altcoin was trading at an average of $3.36. With a market cap of over $131 billion, it is over half that of bitcoin.

    One thing to take note of though is the high supply of Ripple. Bitcoin will only ever have at most, 21 million coins in circulation. Ripple currently has over 38 billion XRP issued. If we set the supply of Ripple to 21 million, using its current market cap, each coin would be over $6,200. And looking at it that way might ward off potential investors.

    The success of Ripple and other altcoins have led to an all time low for bitcoin dominance at 33.3 percent. With this recent news, will we finally be seeing a challenger to bitcoin for the top of the crypto throne or is just another flash in pan? One thing for certain is that 2018 is sure to bring much more exciting news for crypto.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1GshH0F9Ic

    Ripple Total supply vs Circulating Supply

    The XRP token was created with a significant portion of it reserved for development of the coin. Unlike mining, these coins can be issued out by the owners  (either the founders of ripple or Ripple Labs).  This is a large difference between the circulating supply and the total supply as well, with almost 60% of XRP left to be distributed.

    If XRP had the same supply as Bitcoin the Price would be walloping $18,953!

  • Crypto Catchup – Christmas edition

    Crypto Catchup – Christmas edition

    With the Christmas holidays over, might we expect new money to pour into the markets? The past week saw a few dips in the market, with bitcoin falling to 11,000 and 13,000 on two separate occasions. The price has rebounded now back to over 16,000.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv9fZcN5i8I

     

    Crypto as a store of value?

    One big vision for crypto was it’s use as an alternative currency. It promoted fast and global transactions, as well as the security of cryptography. However, as we draw to the end of 2017, we’ve found that some cryptos, like bitcoin, have taken on a role as a store of value rather than as a currency. The popularity and high demand of bitcoin has caused transaction fees to sky rocket. As a result, using it for daily spending is very cost inefficient as the transaction fees may very well take up a large percentage of the actual purchase.

    Nonetheless, it still works very well as a store of value. It’s accessible all around the world, as long as you have an internet connection you can send and receive it. In nations suffering from hyperinflation, like Venezuela, bitcoin can help people retain some of the value of their currency. It sort of functions like a form of digital gold.

    Bitcoin God – more forks?

    Forks look like they are here to stay. This year saw the coming of Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin Gold, Bitcoin Diamond just to name a few. And they all had various levels of success.

    Another one on the horizon is Bitcoin God, set to fork at block height 501225. Created by chinese developers, they say they will offer POS mining, large block sizes, smart contracts, and zero-knowledge proof. Only time will tell whether they can deliver on these promises, but all this forking business shows now signs of slowing down.

     

    The content here is not financial advice. The above references an opinion and is for information purposes only.  It is not intended to be investment advice.  Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.

  • CryptoKitties in a Nutshell

    CryptoKitties in a Nutshell

    The newest craze to hit the internet is CryptoKitties. Aiming to appeal to a broader mainstream audience, CryptoKitties packages cryptocurrency into a cute, adorable, kitten-like representation. CryptoKitties is a game centered around breedable, collectible creatures called CryptoKitties. Each cat is unique and fully owned by the user.

    Unique Kitties can come in all shapes and colours

    One thing that makes CryptoKitties so special is that it is one of the world’s first games to be built on blockchain technology – in this case Ethereum. Users can buy, breed, trade or sell their CryptoKitty and all this information is stored on the ethereum blockchain. Through this sales market, some cats are going for over $100,000 USD.

    Users can select two Kitties to act as a “Sire” and “Dame” to breed new offspring

    CryptoKitty Backlash?

    However, it seems that it is not all sunshine and rainbows for the new game. Due to it’s unexpected popularity, there is a massive clogging of the ethereum network and transactions have been slowed down as a result. There are currently over 20,000 pending transactions stuck and waiting to be processed at the time of writing. Not only does the increased traffic from CryptoKitties lead to a slow down in the network but it can also increase the cost of using ethereum as well.

    The silver lining here is that public attention to ethereum and cryptocurrency in general have definitely increased. And with issues of scalability being highlighted for ethereum and other cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, this might be the tipping point to hasten developers into finding solutions for the problem.

  • Binance Exchange and Token Summary (BNB)

    Binance Exchange and Token Summary (BNB)

    Binance is a crypto-crypto exchange with a focus on the international market and rapid development. Binance has grown tremendously over the past few months, especially with its early adoption over various coins and the large trade volumes for other popular coins. Currently, it supports English and Chinese users and there is a possibility to expand to Korean and Japanese in the future. Binance has recently expanded operations with various regional development teams around the world.

    The Binance token (BNB) was created during the ICO event to fund the development of the Binance exchange.

    Features of Binance

    • High performance – capable of processing 1.4 mil orders/second
    • Multi-language support – Chinese, English, Korean, Japanese
    • Good support team – Binance support is reachable (rare in crypto space)
    • All major coins available – BTC, ETH, LTC, BNB etc.
    • Low trading fee – Only 0.1% trading fee
    • Early support for Bitcoin Forks – Bitcoin Gold, Bitcoin Diamond were all listed on Binance
    • GAS distribution for NEO – storing NEO on binance yields GAS too!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4jle45hMfg&feature=youtu.be

    Partnerships with Other Chinese Coins and ICOS:

    One of the advisors for Binanace is Da Hong Fei – The founder of NEO. This means that there is a strong partnership between Bianace and NEO. Currently, Bianace is the only exchange that gives NEO GAS for holding NEO on the exchange. The exchange takes a snapshot of the NEO balance on a daily basis and will distribute NEO GAS based on the snap shotted balance.

    Interview with the CEO of Binance, Changpeng Zhao

    I had the privilege of interviewing the CEO of Binance, ChangPeng Zhao. Binance is taking the cryptocurrenc exchange scene by storm with a massively positive response from both the Chinese and International community.

    Binance ICO:

    The Binance Exchanged was financed through an ICO that was held on the 14th of July 2017. A total of 15 Million USD dollars were raised during the event. Here are achieves for the Whitepaper and the ICO page.

    Binance Token:

    Binance tokens were issued to project supporters. The token has 3 major features:

    1. Exchange Fees: Binance tokens can be used to reduce fees for trade costs and commissions. Currently, Binance has a 0.1% trade fee and 50% of the fee can be paid in terms of Binance tokens.
    2. GAS: Binance will eventually feature advanced features that require GAS. BNB tokens can be used as GAS to power these advanced features.
    3. Staking: Binance eventual want to develop a decentralized exchanged. The BNB tokens will eventually be used on this exchange to stake transactions.

    Sign up to Binance here: https://www.binance.com/?ref=10192887

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. (Rybelsus) Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.