Coin News

CoinDesk speaks to CardLinx Association CEO Silvio Taveres about the challenges he sees for bitcoin and the blockchain in payments.

In a move which has so far received apparently almost universal denouncement, Bitcoin community kingpin Michael Marquardt, who exerts significant control over Bitcointalk and the Bitcoin subreddit has taken initiative to ban all discussion of Bitcoin-XT or "contentious hard forks" of Bitcoin Core. Also read: BitcoinTalk Staff Quietly Bans People for Speaking Out Against Them While Marquardt and others have repeatedly used ninjitsu logic to justify that Bitcoin-XT is in fact not Bitcoin, the truth of the matter is that the only fundamental difference between Mike Hearn's Bitcoin-XT is the maximum size of blocks, the maximum amount of transactions per […]

The post Discussion of Bitcoin-XT Banned from Bitcoin Subreddit appeared first on CCN: Financial Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency News.

Bitcoin price diverged between exchanges today as a surprise yuan devaluation shifted buying pressure to the BTC/CNY exchange charts. The yuan is responsible for the greater bulk of bitcoin trade and showed its influence in the chart today. This analysis is provided by xbt.social with a 3 hour delay. Read the full analysis here. Not a member? Join now and receive a $29 discount using the code CCN29. Bitcoin Price Analysis Time of analysis: 15h22 UTC BTC-China vs Bitstamp 1-Hour Charts From the analysis pages of xbt.social, earlier today: The surprise devaluation of the yuan, today, had price diverge between […]

The post Bitcoin Price and the Yuan appeared first on CCN: Financial Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency News.

Bitcoin remittance startup 37coins is closing its doors, with users having until 30th December to withdraw their balances.

Is the high inflation rate of 9.6 percent the reason people are turning to Bitcoin in Brazil? The simple answer is no. Recent statistics and infographics published by global bitcoin payment processor BitPay revealed that the volume of bitcoin transactions in Latin America has increased by 120 percent, and almost doubled in quarterly transactions. Many analysts suspected that the high inflation rate and unstable economy of Argentina and Brazil have caused a surge of growth in Latin America’s bitcoin industry. While this may be true for Argentina, a country where the majority of the population is willing to pay 20 percent above international rates to obtain U.S. dollars and suffer from annual inflation rate which currently stands at 28.2 percent, […]

The post Bitcoin Adoption Growing in Brazil Despite Poor Perception, Real Inflation Rate Hits 9.6% appeared first on Bitcoin Magazine.

Silent Pocket is the first product featured as the Bitcoin product of the week, a new series from Bitcoin Magazine highlighting some of the cool, interesting, or funny things you can buy with bitcoin. What should we cover next week? Let us know at [email protected]. Silent Pocket is a wireless shielding technology integrated into sleek leather goods like bags, pouches, backpacks, etc. which makes any device undetectable by instantly blocking cellular, GPS, WIFI, Bluetototh, RFID and NFC in all frequencies. The feature prevents potential data breaches, hacking attacks or identity theft on mobile devices and other hardware such as bitcoin hard wallets and by protecting all devices, including cell phones, credit cards, passports, tablets and computers. “Aside from preventing identity theft and […]

The post Bitcoin Product of the Week: Silent Pocket Make Your Device Undetectable appeared first on Bitcoin Magazine.

Early this morning European time, Greek financial ministers and Eurozone representatives reached an agreement after an all-night negotiation session. The deal will last three years and amount to $94 billion. "The institutions and the Greek authorities achieved an agreement in principle on a technical basis. Now as a next step, a political assessment will be made," said Annika Breidhardt, a European Commission representative. Also read: How Bitcoin Could Prevent a Future Greece The biggest issues discussed revolved around Greek institutions not properly servicing their receivables, the execution of asset sales, and changes to Greek natural gas regulation. Greece's solution to […]

The post 94 Billion Dollar Greek Bailout In Last Stages appeared first on CCN: Financial Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency News.

In April, Bitcoin Magazine reported that BBVA, one of Spain’s major banks, was among the sponsors of the Digital Currency Summit in Madrid. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), the second largest bank in Spain after Santander, is recognized within the industry for being more pro-technology than many of its competitors. “Some bankers and analysts think that Google, Facebook, Amazon or the like will not fully enter a highly regulated, low-margin business such as banking,” BBVA Executive Chairman Francisco González told The Financial Times in 2014. “I disagree. What is more, I think banks that are not prepared for such new competitors face certain death.” With this forward-looking attitude, it’s not surprising that BBVA is interested in the blockchain. In 2013 BBVA […]

The post Institutions that Understand Bitcoin and Digital Currencies will Lead the New Monetary System, says BBVA appeared first on Bitcoin Magazine.

Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin will usher in a new wave of 'technology-driven markets', a new report from PwC has claimed.

Do you wonder how big banks view Bitcoin? BBVA, who recently ranked Swedish exchange Safello as a finalist in their annual financial technology competition, BBVA Open Talent, followed up with a short explainer video on Bitcoin. In the space of three minutes, BBVA customers are treated to an accurate portrayal of how Bitcoin works from the perspective of a consumer. What do you think? Like and share above and comment below! Also read: New York Stock Exchange and Former Citigroup CEO Invest in Coinbase

The post Video: International Bank BBVA's Quick Explanation of Bitcoin appeared first on CCN: Financial Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency News.

China devalued the yuan today in a move that caught global markets by surprise. Policy makers have increased efforts to support exporters and, going forward, hope to increase the role of market pricing in Asia’s largest economy. The Peoples' Bank of China cut its 1-day rate by 1.9% and, thereby, triggered yuan/dollar devaluation - the biggest one-day drop since January 1994. The central bank informs only this one-time adjustment and intends to increasingly expose the yuan to market supply-and-demand. The announcement follows a series of lower-than-expected data releases from the Chinese manufacturing industry that culminated in decreased trade balance, as […]

The post China Devalues the Yuan, Jolts Global Markets appeared first on CCN: Financial Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency News.

Via Dave Lutz at JonesTrading, here's a super quick to what traders are talking about before markets open in rainy New York City.  

Good Morning! US Futures are under pressure as China fires the latest salvo in the “Currency Wars” – China's central bank overnight devalued its currency by nearly 2% against the US dollar, sparking the biggest one-day loss in two decades. Although this move seemed expected, the ripples emulating from Asia weigh heavy in Euroland. The DAX is getting whacked for 1.6%, as Euro automakers Daimler, Porsche, BMW, Renault – as well as Luxury names like LVMH, Hermes, Richemont, Dior and Swatch are all under sharp pressure on the China devaluation. Interesting enough volumes are quite muted across the continent despite moves in some of these large-cap conglomerates – smells all futures driven. Athens is the only Euro market higher as Greece secures agreement on the new bail-out. Over in Asia, Shanghai closed flat, but the FX moves weigh on several Asian exporters – Singapore lost 1.4%, Nikkei lost 40bp, South Korea was hit for almost 1%, while ‘Emerging Asia” countries like Indonesia and Malaysia for over 1%

China’s impact was most pronounced in the FX of their main trading partners – Taiwan, Singapore, Aussie, South Korean currencies all hit; Malaysian ringgit now the weakest since the Asian financial crisis of 1998, and the Indonesian rupiah is hitting a 17Y low today. It’s very interesting that the Euro is well bid again, especially as German ZEW comes in weak. The DXY is higher, and coupled with China has many Industrial commodities under pressure. Copper is off 2.3% and approaching 6Y lows – hitting the global mining stocks, but interesting that Platinum is up 1% despite bad Chinese Auto numbers overnight. The Oil complex is giving back roughly half of yesterday’s gains as headlines hit saying “OPEC output hitting 3Y high as Iran pumps most since 2012”. In softs - Corn is giving back half of yesterday’s satellite image induced gains, while Soy and Wheat both retreat 1%.

We have some scheduled catalysts on the slate today, starting with Canadian Housing Starts at 8:15 (bubble and oil read), US Nonfarm Productivity and Unit Labor Costs at 8:30, followed by US Wholesale Inventories at 10. Brazil is supposed to have a Inflation Linked Bond Auction at 11 – while the USA auctions off $24B in 3Ys at 1pm. The Energy complex will be focused on DOE short-term energy outlook at high noon, ahead of API data for Crude after the close. Senate, House on August recess – and President Obama on vacation in Martha’s Vineyard.

SEE ALSO: 10 things you need to know before the opening bell

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If you haven't been paying attention to Bitcoin because you don't understand how a digital currency might be relevant to your business, you might want to reconsider. It's unlikely that Bitcoin will replace the dollar, pound, Euro, or yen anytime soon (or ever). However, you're still going to be hearing a lot more about it. That's not because people are willing to consider it money. What's most interesting about Bitcoin actually has very little to do with money — and everything to do with its underlying technology, known as the blockchain, which could challenge our assumptions about what makes commerce secure and trustworthy. In a blog post last year, Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman dismissed Bitcoin as a fever dream for anti-government partisans. Still, he agreed that "t does indeed solve an interesting information problem — although it’s not at all clear whether solving that problem has any economic value."

A man charged by US prosecutors for operating bitcoin exchange service Coin.mx without a money transmission license has been released on bail.

Technology trade groups are at odds with a bitcoin advocacy group over the best strategy for pursuing positive bitcoin regulation in California.