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The concept of exchange digital currency has undergone a fair few changes in recent years. While there was only one available platform to do so just a few years ago, Bitcoin and altcoin exchanges can be found all over the globe these days. But even this market needs to keep evolving over time, and that is exactly what ShapeShift.io is doing with their new Android app.
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Bitcoin is often touted as being the perfect solution to bring financial services to people living in unbanked and underbanked nations of the world. Traditional financial institutions often don’t see the benefit in investing in these areas, as the costs far outweigh the benefits. But is Bitcoin really the future of these nations? NairaEx, a newly launched Bitcoin exchange in Nigeria, certainly seems to think so.
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Cryptsy is one of the largest cryptocurrency platforms in existence to date. Not only does this platform give users the chance to trade various types of virtual currencies intermittently, but Cryptsy also added support for fiat currency trading a while ago. A new UI and set of features has been involved, and Cryptsy 2.0 is now available to users all over the world.
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Bringing the concept of virtual currency and digital assets to everyday consumers is not as easy as it sounds. On paper, all it would take is a targeted marketing campaign and maybe one or two boxes or flyers. But with Bitcoin and digital assets, the story is quite different, as consumers and merchants like to see the technology in action. ShapeShift.io released their Skeleton Exchange Tool, which aims to display the power of virtual currencies and digital assets.
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Despite Europe being far more open to the idea of Bitcoin and other virtual currencies, there are still quite a few hurdles to overcome when purchasing Bitcoin for the very first time. There are already various exchange platforms available to European customers, but having more competition in this market can only be beneficial in the long run. CoinCorner, a reputable Bitcoin exchange based in The Isle of Man, has now expanded their services to European customers.
Argentina is one of those underbanked nations in the world, where local residents are looking for ways to move funds in and out of the country in a convenient manner. Unfortunately for those people, the Argentinian government has enforced very strict capital controls, all but eliminating the option to move funds outside of the country. Bitcoin offers major potential in this regard and Argentina is warming up to virtual currency.
Unisend (Argentina) is a well-respected company in Argentina, as this is the country’s first order-book exchange. There are not that many Bitcoin exchanges in Argentina to begin with, despite there being an increasing demand for options to buy and sell Bitcoin by local residents.
Making a Bitcoin exchange platform more appealing to international customers can be done in various ways. Offering more international payment methods is just one way to tackle this problem. In the case of major Bitcoin exchange BTC China, the team decided to rebrand to “BTCC”, as part of their international expansion plan.
Having the term “China” associated with a Bitcoin exchange can cause a few issues down the line. Novice users might assume that BTC China is only available to Chinese or Asian customers, even though the platform can service nearly every country in the world right now. Plus, with most of the Bitcoin trading volume originating in China, a name such as “BTC China” could create a bit of confusion in the community.
With everything going on in the world today, it is hard to keep track of the things that remain near and dear to our hearts. Most of the focus in mainstream media headlines relate to refugees, terrorism and financial turmoil. Some people are even wondering whether or not society is losing sight of core values, such as peace and harmony. Bitcoin exchange FoxBit is looking to change that perspective, by launching a “Bitcoin for Peace” campaign.
Operating a Bitcoin exchange in the United States has become a bit of a hassle lately, as various states are in the process of creating a regulatory framework for virtual currencies. As a result of this impending regulation, Bitcoin exchange operators will have to apply for specific money transmitter licenses, which are not cheap. But anything is possible, as the Laissez Faire exchange platform has demonstrated.
Over the past few months, there has been a shakeup of Bitcoin exchanges willing to pursue specific operating licenses. Ever since the BitLicense regulatory framework was announced, multiple exchange platforms have halted their services in the New York state area, whereas a handful of others are pursuing their licensing requirements.
It has become crystal clear that Bitcoin can offer a viable alternative to bank-issued fiat currencies, especially in countries where tight capital controls are part of daily life. Brazil is one of the places where Bitcoin adoption really seems to be thriving and recent trade volume statistics paints a picture of a thousand words.
Brazil is home to several Bitcoin exchanges, of which Mercado Bitcoin, Foxbit, BitcoinToYou and flowBTC are the best-known names in the business. LocalBitcoins is also available in the Brazil region but is attracting the third-lowest trading volume of all eight exchanges located on the chart provided by BitValor.
One of the major hurdles to tackle is making it easier and more convenient for consumers from all over the world to purchase Bitcoin. Iran, of all countries, is a place where buying Bitcoin is easier, compared to many places in the world. Whether or not BTXCapital will be a success in Iran remains to be seen, as virtual currency is technically illegal in the country.
Bitcoin exchanges have to keep up with the competition if they want to stay relevant while adding innovative new features to their platform. Sometimes, those new features come in the form of taking a huge gamble to facilitate the buying and selling of Bitcoin. Even though credit cards were never intended to be used for online purchases, Bitcoin exchange Coinbase will start accepting card payments very soon.
The name Coinbase is synonymous with buying and selling Bitcoin in the United States, as well as 27 other countries around the world. Ever since the company opened its doors to the public, it became adamantly clear Coinbase was forging a path of expansion and did so at an aggressive rate.
Bitcoin regulation and more specifically the BitLicense debacle, will be making headlines for many more weeks to come. As the BitLicense application deadline is almost upon us, companies are forced to either apply or halt their services in the state of New York. Several companies have decided on the latter option as very few BitLicense applications are coming in. That being said, it looks like Coinbase, just like Bitstamp, will be applying for a BitLicense.
Bitcoin is slowly making headway in all kinds of places on this planet and it looks like digital currency is finally gaining a foothold in Japan. Up until now, the only reason Bitcoin has ever been connected to Japan was due to the Mt.Gox exchange, a story most people would rather forget as soon as possible. However, bitFlyer might be the next Bitcoin success story in Japan.
The Japanese bitFlyer platform provides an interesting combination of various Bitcoin services, neatly packaged into one platform. Not only are buyers and sellers of Bitcoin able to use the platform for trading and exchanging purposes, but bitFlyer also offers its very own crowdfunding platform.
Even though many customers are still struggling with the idea of purchasing Bitcoin from an exchange through bank transfer, there are other solutions available. Not just in the form of using Bitcoin ATMs, which are also a great way to buy Bitcoin. Bitcoin exchange 247Exchange is making the process of buying Bitcoin with a credit card even smoother than it was before.
In our latest article on how to buy Bitcoin, we mentioned that using a credit card is not possible when it comes to Bitcoin from most traditional exchanges. However, there is one emerging exchange that has integrated card payments for buying Bitcoin into their platform. 247Exchange.com is best known for allowing purchases and withdrawals through most major credit cards.
BitLicense is the first proper form of Bitcoin regulation in the United States, even though most Bitcoin companies do not agree with the proposed requirements. Whereas several Bitcoin exchanges are leaving the New York state area, Bitstamp has announced they will, in fact, be applying for a BitLicense in order to comply with current regulations.
Bitcoin regulation is still an important aspect for digital currency to be recognized as a legitimate form of digital money. Yet at the same type, the first revisions of Bitcoin regulation are quite harsh, especially as far as BitLicense is concerned. Applying for a license is expensive, and there is a thorough process every company has to go through.
Bitcoin is causing quite a few headaches for legislators and regulators all over the world. Even though some countries and US states have come up or are close to coming up – with a regulatory framework for Bitcoin, not all of them are positive, especially New York’s BitLicense regulation, which is causing an exodus of Bitcoin companies in the state. The latest company to leave is BitFinex, the largest US Bitcoin exchange platform.
Buying Bitcoin has become increasingly easier in the past few years, with so many exchange platforms and Bitcoin ATMs popping up all over the world. That being said, buying Bitcoin remains one of the most difficult hurdles to overcome for novice users. Plus, verification procedures are not making matters any easier.
Before you can start buying Bitcoin, there are a handful of things you will need. First of all, you will need to install a Bitcoin client, either on your computer or mobile device. The installation procedures are very straightforward and self-explanatory. Once you have a Bitcoin client installed on your preferred device, a new wallet address will be generated on your behalf. This address is of great importance, as this is where your future Bitcoins will be sent to.
The world of finance is starting to evolve towards new systems and services being used, as well as the mobile space being explored by various companies. Even though Bitcoin has been available on mobile devices since day one, popular Bitcoin exchange Huobi thinks there is still room for improvement in this area. Rather than sticking to the Chinese crowd, the company hopes to expand the presence in the Western world as well.
Bitcoin exchanges are the premier solution for the everyday consumer to buy and sell Bitcoin in exchange for fiat currency. However, it seems like most Bitcoin exchanges are flagging accounts who are trading at higher volumes on a monthly basis. Sometimes, these conversations can lead to some very awkward information being asked from the consumer.
Every Bitcoin exchange around the world has to comply with existing legislation and regulations in the region they are operating from. In the case of Bitstamp, the company is compliant with all EU regulations concerning Know-your-Customer and Anti-Money Laundering requirements. After all, Bitcoin exchanges attract quite a lot of money from people looking to buy, sell and trade Bitcoin.
