Coin News

Intel, one of the world’s largest semiconductor companies, has filed a patent for a new Bitcoin mining chip accelerator. Entitled “Bitcoin Mining Hardware Accelerator with Optimized Message Digest and Message Scheduler Datapath,” the patent was originally submitted in September of 2016, but is now being released for the first time.

Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining has long been under scrutiny for the excessive energy it allegedly uses. Countries like Iceland, for example, admit that more energy is used to mine Bitcoin than to power its residences, while cities like Plattsburgh, New York — a once-popular haven for commercial Bitcoin mining — have imposed strict moratoriums to lessen miners’ growing needs and the surging costs of electricity.

Intel claims to have found a more reasonable and cost-effective way to mine bitcoins. The patent says the product can decrease energy use by up to 35 percent while lowering financial requirements and mining more bitcoins in the process.

The document reads:

Because the software and hardware utilized in Bitcoin mining uses brute force to repeatedly and endlessly perform SHA-256 functions, the process of Bitcoin mining can be very power-intensive and utilize large amounts of hardware space. The embodiments described herein optimize Bitcoin mining operations by reducing the space utilized and power consumed by Bitcoin mining hardware.

Bittrex, a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, has issued a trading pair between tether (USDT) and TrueUSD (TUSD), two stable tokens pegged to the U.S. dollar. While tether is issued by Tether, TrueUSD is issued by TrustToken.

Unlike other cryptocurrencies, stable tokens are pegged to the value of traditional money. In this case, tether and TrueUSD are both pegged to the U.S. dollar, so that one token is worth one dollar.  

Stable tokens are useful in that they protect traders from market volatility. The question is, why would one exchange offer two types of dollar tokens? The answer is, it would allow traders who are worried about the long-term viability of one token over the other to hedge their bets by owning one or the other or a little of both. By a similar logic, listing two tokens could also protect the exchanges, particularly those like Bittrex, that do not carry crypto-fiat pairs and depend on stable tokens to maintain liquidity.

Tether vs. TrueUSD: A Brief Comparison

Tether is closely linked to the cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex, and questions still linger around whether the $2.3 billion in tether issued so far are backed by actual dollars. So far, no third-party audit has taken place to prove that is the case, and Bitfinex has been opaque about its banking relationships.

Also, because the identities of the people who own tether are not always clear, the movement of the token across national borders has raised concerns about money laundering and, consequently, Tether’s risk of being shut down at some point.

In contrast, TrustToken, which began trading on Bittrex earlier this month, is marketing itself as a safer bet. “TrueUSD offers token-holders full collateral, regular auditing, and legal protections to redeem TrueUSD for USD,” the company wrote in a blog post.  

Also, while Tether is built on the Omni Layer (formerly Mastercoin), a platform that issues tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain, TrueUSD is an ERC20 token controlled by a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain. TrustToken says that when users send in fiat, their money is kept in an escrow account that only they have access to, and that they can reclaim their underlying fiat at any time.

At the moment, TrustToken is applying for a license in order to serve as a money service business to boost trader confidence that TrueUSD is backed by actual dollars.

Bittrex, a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, has issued a trading pair between tether (USDT) and TrueUSD (TUSD), two stable tokens pegged to the U.S. dollar. While tether is issued by Tether, TrueUSD is issued by TrustToken.

Unlike other cryptocurrencies, stable tokens are pegged to the value of traditional money. In this case, tether and TrueUSD are both pegged to the U.S. dollar, so that one token is worth one dollar.  

Stable tokens are useful in that they protect traders from market volatility. The question is, why would one exchange offer two types of dollar tokens? The answer is, it would allow traders who are worried about the long-term viability of one token over the other to hedge their bets by owning one or the other or a little of both. By a similar logic, listing two tokens could also protect the exchanges, particularly those like Bittrex, that do not carry crypto-fiat pairs and depend on stable tokens to maintain liquidity.

Tether vs. TrueUSD: A Brief Comparison

Tether is closely linked to the cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex, and questions still linger around whether the $2.3 billion in tether issued so far are backed by actual dollars. So far, no third-party audit has taken place to prove that is the case, and Bitfinex has been opaque about its banking relationships.

Also, because the identities of the people who own tether are not always clear, the movement of the token across national borders has raised concerns about money laundering and, consequently, Tether’s risk of being shut down at some point.

In contrast, TrustToken, which began trading on Bittrex earlier this month, is marketing itself as a safer bet. “TrueUSD offers token-holders full collateral, regular auditing, and legal protections to redeem TrueUSD for USD,” the company wrote in a blog post.  

Also, while Tether is built on the Omni Layer (formerly Mastercoin), a platform that issues tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain, TrueUSD is an ERC20 token controlled by a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain. TrustToken says that when users send in fiat, their money is kept in an escrow account that only they have access to, and that they can reclaim their underlying fiat at any time.

At the moment, TrustToken is applying for a license in order to serve as a money service business to boost trader confidence that TrueUSD is backed by actual dollars.

On March 19, 2018, in an op-ed published by the French news website, Numerama, France’s Minister of Finance and Economics, Bruno Le Maire wrote what appears, at least at first glance, to be an uncharacteristically optimistic exposition on the profound and pioneering nature of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology:

“A revolution is underway, of which bitcoin was only the precursor. The blockchain will offer new opportunities to our startups, for example with the Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) that will allow them to raise funds through ‘tokens,’ crypto-actives or not. It promises to create a network of trust without intermediaries, to offer increased traceability of transactions and, overall, to make the economy more efficient.”

The op-ed is a message to the French public that this emerging technology will be an agent of change — both disruptive and beneficial. According to Le Maire, blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies “could upset daily practices in the banking and insurance sectors, financial markets, but also patents and certified acts.” He goes on to warn what has been echoed by leaders of other nations, that there should be anticipated consequences for traditional players.

“Let’s not be mere spectators: become actors in this revolution,” he urged. Le Maire goes on to state that France’s policy should be benevolent yet cautious. He expressed weariness for the chaotic nature of decentralization by questioning speculative products, investor security and the ever-present possibility that the technology could be used to launder or fund criminal activities.

“Clarifying the law to attract innovation, identify risks without hindering our ecosystem, that's our approach,” wrote Le Maire. He goes on to advocate for a former French central bank governor, Jean-Pierre Landau, who has been assigned to further investigate cryptocurrencies to formulate a proposal for a more navigable regulatory framework.

The op-ed concludes with, “Il s’agit là du rôle de la France: Être force de proposition pour construire le monde de demain,” which loosely translates to, “This is the role of France: Be proactive in building the world of tomorrow."

Blockchain Bisque

Le Maire’s op-ed is uncharacteristic for two reasons. First, the news website, Numerama plays to an audience who are in favor of the open source movement. Founded as Ratiatum in 2002, the publication originally focused only on peer-to-peer and culture-related topics until it was rebranded as Numerama. While Numerama is said to defend the “free-sharing culture” and “respect of privacy,” a reader (Mmastoc) complained in the comments section of the mismatch between Numerama and the blunted public-announcement style of Le Maire’s op-ed, “For pity’s sake, I beg you, not the government soup.”

The sentiment is repeated in some way by several other commentators; the point being, that a publication as critical of centralized authority as Numerama publishing a public message about cryptocurrency adoption by the central government gives an overly optimistic, if not artificial and incomplete, view of government policy.

The other reason why the op-ed comes across as ineffectual is its vague optimism toward less cryptocurrency regulation. Based on what has happened earlier this year in France and other nations, Le Maire’s cryptocurrency policy, and by association the French government’s, has tended to lean hard toward heavier regulation.

For instance, Jean-Pierre Landau — the central banker for whom Le Maire advocates in the op-ed and has entrusted to build a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency — is a notable Bitcoin skeptic who denounced the cryptocurrency back in 2014 in his own op-ed for the Financial Times. Landau’s argument is that currencies need central banks to be successful so that adjustments to the monetary supply can be made; therefore, bitcoin’s scarcity (small supply) will be insufficient to satisfy demand and, as a result, the economy as a whole.

While it might not be clear what Landau thinks four years later, Le Maire appointed Landau to lead a working group for the purpose of regulating cryptocurrencies back in the middle of January 2018.

G20 Discussions

Shortly after Le Maire’s op-ed, world leaders met in Argentina for the G20 Summit and, specifically, the greatest event for cryptocurrency regulation so far in 2018. Despite the changing views of Mike Carney, governor of the Bank of England and chairman of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), who has eased up on cryptocurrencies, France has advocated for a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies that they are now pursuing with Germany. This cooperation is evidence that the call from German central banks for effective regulation of virtual currencies on a international scale is an opinion shared by many French authorities.

These developments, no doubt, are linked to an increased regulatory focus on cryptocurrencies in other countries such as China, South Korea and the U.S. Future cryptocurrency regulation will almost certainly require international cooperation for it to move forward ,given these recent developments and the cross-border attributes of cryptocurrency in general.

The G20 ultimately determined that cryptocurrencies should be regulated as property for now, though it is likely they will be regulated as their own unique asset class as time moves on. World leaders also left the G20 with an agreed upon notion to have effective regulations in place by July 2018.

Bitcoin’s Hope for French Liberty?

If France has recently decided to cultivate a suitable environment for cryptocurrency, credit is due in large part to Laure de La Raudière. Raudière is a republican who represents the Eure-et-Loir department in the National Assembly of France (lower house of the bicameral parliament of France).

She was also appointed in early February to lead the National Assembly’s “Mission d’information.” The purpose of the mission has been to investigate blockchain technology in France and abroad to produce reports that will inform legislators on topics related to how the technology can be used and should be regulated. The mission is expected to take no more than six to seven months since February, meaning it should be wrapping up around the time the G20 world leaders will reconvene for regulation consensus.

Though French authorities appear determined not to let the technological innovation of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology to pass them by, time will tell where they will inevitably fit on the global regulation spectrum. L’Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) has also gone after specific cryptocurrency players who are not registered with the AMF.

In an article from February, Raudière was quoted as stating something much more optimistic and yet, less vague,

To avoid mis-legislating, you have to understand. I have always enrolled in this approach of technology education, focusing on highlighting the repercussions of the prohibition of a technology. For example, at the time of the HADOPI debate, amendments aimed at banning peer-to-peer technology; it revealed a total misunderstanding that technology can be used to achieve illegal things but also to accomplish extremely positive things.Most of the time, it's not the technology you have to ban, but the way it's used.

Newegg Inc., the online e-commerce site that is rivaling Amazon for sales in technical equipment and electronics, is expanding its payment options to include bitcoin for its customers in Canada.

Apparently unfazed by recent price volatility and citing “the increasing mainstream awareness of cryptocurrencies,” Newegg is showing its confidence in the future of the cryptocurrency by extending its current policy of accepting bitcoin payments from U.S. customers to Canadian customers.

BitPay manages Newegg’s bitcoin-related transactions in the U.S. and will now manage all Canadian bitcoin payments with what Newegg calls “the most powerful bitcoin API in the industry.”

BitPay’s CEO and co-founder, Stephen Pair, said in a news release:

“Newegg was an early e-commerce adopter of bitcoin, and that leap of faith the company took in 2014 put Newegg on the map as a bitcoin-friendly place for tech enthusiasts to shop.”

He added, “We’re seeing a lot of traction in Canada, and we’re happy to see Newegg extend its bitcoin payment option north of the border.”

Newegg uses BitPay’s API to create and manage invoices, manage bills, issue refunds and view merchant ledger entries. Newegg noted that “BitPay’s singular focus on building enterprise-grade merchant tools helped the company achieve 99.99% uptime — unrivaled reliability in the industry.”

Recently BitPay announced a partnership with the South Korean exchange Bithumb to enable businesses there to issue invoices in bitcoin.

Newegg, a California-based retailer, first started accepting bitcoin from American customers in August 2014 and has never looked back.

According to the company, bitcoin payments from the U.S. have represented “a small but growing stream of purchase transactions.”

“In 2014 Newegg was among the first major companies to offer customers a bitcoin payment option,” said Danny Lee, CEO of Newegg.

“Since that time the value of bitcoin has skyrocketed and customers holding bitcoin have considerably more purchasing power. We believe the time is right to broaden our acceptance of bitcoin to our customers in Canada.”

According to Newegg, it is the leading tech e-retailer in North America with customers in more than 50 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, and has more than 36 million registered users.

The company says it is consistently ranked as one of the best online shopping destinations and regularly earns industry-leading customer service ratings.