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TALLINN, ESTONIA (May 21, 2018) – A new European company has found a way to unleash the true potential of digital assets. Depository Network (DEPO) has developed independent loan collateral architecture for the cryptocurrency age.
DEPO founders began by asking why assets have changed but loan collateral has not. Despite cryptocurrency being a strong asset that continues to grow, lenders have still not found a way to accept it as collateral. Until now.
Historically, Facebook has done a great job of staying on the cusp of technological advancement through investing heavily in new technologies and smart acquisitions. From WhatsApp to Oculus, the company has used its bulging bank balances to stay one step ahead of consumer trends by snapping up tech and talent. And, after last week’s internal announcement that Facebook would be investing heavily in a new blockchain technology research wing, headed by David Marcus, one of the company’s top execs, leader of its Messenger platform and a former CEO of PayPal, it is quite obvious which new emerging technology the company has its sights set on now.
IBM has partnered with environmental fintech startup Veridium Labs to turn carbon credits — tradable instruments that provide an economic incentive to those who want to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions — into blockchain-based tokens.
In a joint press release, the two companies announced a collaboration to “transform the carbon credit market using IBM blockchain technology with the goal of making it easier for companies to offset their environmental footprints.”
Confident in the belief that all assets will be digitized in the future, investment platform eToro has announced it will launch a cryptocurrency offering in the United States. The launch will initially enable U.S.-based users to invest in 10 cryptocurrencies, with more to be added throughout 2018. Users will have access to a community feed and tools, letting them engage in conversations about cryptocurrencies and follow the investment strategies of other U.S. users.
Blockchain-based investment platform Relex has expanded plans to enter Russia, seeking an office in the free port of Vladivostok and filing an application with the Central Bank of Russia for a trial balloon program. This move comes a few weeks after a successful summit at the Yalta International Economic Forum in Crimea. During the conference, the team was approached by representatives from the Central Bank of Russia, who suggested that Relex apply to a Fintech pilot program. This application has since been filed and is awaiting approval. Acceptance could provide opportunities such as proffering legal and regulatory help.
In a time when we’re bombarded with the supposed evils of Bitcoin (right, Mr. Baby Brains Munger?) on a seemingly daily basis, it’s refreshing to see crypto take the spotlight for a worthy cause.
According to Bloomberg, this is exactly what happened at a San Francisco fundraising gala held on the 3rd of May. The event was held to raise money to combat poverty in the Bay Area and was planned by the Tipping Point Community non-profit organization (NPO).
Raising more than $ 14 million is definitely worth celebrating, as is the fact that this is the first time that the NPO allowed pledge drive donations to be made in cryptocurrencies. Contributors were able to donate using Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been relatively stringent in its views of both security and utility tokens. The organization is seeking to label all virtual tokens originally distributed through initial coin offerings (ICOs) as securities, which would subject them to very strict regulatory practices and potentially have massive repercussions on their prices.
One of those tokens is ether, which was originally distributed and marketed through presales. Members of the Venture Capital Working Group — an organization comprised of lawyers, investors and cryptocurrency experts working to block the SEC’s decision — argue that ether has become so decentralized, it can no longer be looked at as a security, and should thus be exempt from securities-related laws. Ether is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap after bitcoin.
This week cryptocurrency miners had processed the 17 million coins across both Bitcoin (BCH) and Bitcoin Core (BTC) networks, marking a great milestone within the history of blockchain technology. Now there are only 4Mn BCH and BTC left to mine but it’s still a very long time away until the very last coins are mined.
Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into the Crypto Space
KICKICO recently co-organized a cryptocurrency congress in Argentina, which took place from the 6th to the 10th of April in Cordoba and Buenos Aires.The event demonstrated a rapidly growing interest for blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies with a KIKCICO-led group of Russian specialists meeting local students, startups and government officials. Those present agreed to prepare a series of educational programmes to enforce cooperation between the two countries.
As part of an effort to protect cryptocurrency investors and bring greater transparency into how cryptocurrency exchanges operate, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has sent letters to 13 virtual currency exchanges requesting they disclose key information about their operations.
“With cryptocurrency on the rise, consumers in New York and across the country have a right to transparency and accountability when they invest their money,” the attorney general said in a statement today, April 16, 2018. “Yet too often, consumers don’t have the basic facts they need to assess the fairness, integrity and security of these trading platforms.”
