Bitcoin bandit makes prison break, flees Iceland on PM’s plane
The suspected mastermind of Iceland’s ‘big bitcoin heist’ reportedly escaped from prison and fled the country – on a plane that was also carrying the prime minister.
Sindri Thor Stefansson and 10 other people were arrested in February in connection with the theft of 600 computers used to mine bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The computers, worth some $2 million, are still missing.
The suspected mastermind of Iceland’s ‘big bitcoin heist’ reportedly escaped from prison and fled the country – on a plane that was also carrying the prime minister.
Sindri Thor Stefansson and 10 other people were arrested in February in connection with the theft of 600 computers used to mine bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The computers, worth some $2 million, are still missing.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have gained immense popularity thanks to their decentralized, secure and anonymous nature, which supports the peer-to-peer architecture and makes it possible to transfer funds and other digital assets between two different individuals without a central authority.
How does this automated and anonymous system of cryptocurrency ensure that all transactions are processed with due diligence and authenticity without any intervention? Enter the underlying concept and tools of cryptography, which form the backbone of cryptocurrency processing.
How does this automated and anonymous system of cryptocurrency ensure that all transactions are processed with due diligence and authenticity without any intervention? Enter the underlying concept and tools of cryptography, which form the backbone of cryptocurrency processing.
⚽️ Yes, You Can Buy Your World Cup Ticket with Bitcoin
Russian crypto-media have asked a meaningful question – why World Cup tickets can’t be bought with cryptocurrency. Credit card payments and bank transfers are currently accepted, but are they an option for every fan who wants to go to the stadium? And, is it really impossible to get a ticket with your bitcoin?
Despite the growing popularity of both cryptocurrencies and football, in Russia and around the world, it’s been said that it’s currently impossible to buy a ticket for the Mundial with bitcoin… or is it? Less than two months before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, crypto/football fans want to know if spending digital coins is something they can do in the host country, the Russian Federation.
Russian crypto-media have asked a meaningful question – why World Cup tickets can’t be bought with cryptocurrency. Credit card payments and bank transfers are currently accepted, but are they an option for every fan who wants to go to the stadium? And, is it really impossible to get a ticket with your bitcoin?
Despite the growing popularity of both cryptocurrencies and football, in Russia and around the world, it’s been said that it’s currently impossible to buy a ticket for the Mundial with bitcoin… or is it? Less than two months before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, crypto/football fans want to know if spending digital coins is something they can do in the host country, the Russian Federation.
🤔 DALLAS, TX – Richard Jacobs is the best-selling author of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Blockchain, and organizer of the Future Tech Expo, which takes place in September 2018. As a sneak preview of what is to come at this conference, he has just published a free podcast that reveals brand-new intelligence which strongly suggests that Bitcoin could be returning to $10-15k+ territory by summer.
“Almost all the ‘smart-money’ blockchain investors I know agree that Bitcoin is undervalued, and are loading up right now while its price is relatively low,” said Jacobs. He adds: “Why are they so confident? It’s because there are three specific developments in the pipeline – game-changers that are going to fundamentally alter the economics of Bitcoin and generate a lot of positive news flow.”
Since Monday, Jacobs has been sending out daily “Future Tech Gold Rush” podcasts – i.e. insider briefs on seven technologies, including Bitcoin and blockchain, that are set to provide early investors with the chance to get behind the next major tech disruption – and he is sending them to everyone who is registered on the email notification list for his Future Tech Expo in September.
“Almost all the ‘smart-money’ blockchain investors I know agree that Bitcoin is undervalued, and are loading up right now while its price is relatively low,” said Jacobs. He adds: “Why are they so confident? It’s because there are three specific developments in the pipeline – game-changers that are going to fundamentally alter the economics of Bitcoin and generate a lot of positive news flow.”
Since Monday, Jacobs has been sending out daily “Future Tech Gold Rush” podcasts – i.e. insider briefs on seven technologies, including Bitcoin and blockchain, that are set to provide early investors with the chance to get behind the next major tech disruption – and he is sending them to everyone who is registered on the email notification list for his Future Tech Expo in September.
BTC City accepts first bitcoin payment
BTC City, one of the largest shopping and entertainment complexes in Europe is situated in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Being innovative, on Wednesday, "it launched a test phase of a blockchain-based payment system with the first cryptocurrency payment in the physical world", STA wrote.
BTC chairman Jože Mermal and co-founders of the Eligma platform Dejan Roljič and Matej Gregorčič did the honours, testing the first bitcoin payment at the Atlantis Water Park through Elipay, "a cryptocurrency payment system that currently allows test bitcoin and bitcoin cash payments and transfers, but will in the future also support other cryptocurrencies."
BTC City, one of the largest shopping and entertainment complexes in Europe is situated in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Being innovative, on Wednesday, "it launched a test phase of a blockchain-based payment system with the first cryptocurrency payment in the physical world", STA wrote.
BTC chairman Jože Mermal and co-founders of the Eligma platform Dejan Roljič and Matej Gregorčič did the honours, testing the first bitcoin payment at the Atlantis Water Park through Elipay, "a cryptocurrency payment system that currently allows test bitcoin and bitcoin cash payments and transfers, but will in the future also support other cryptocurrencies."
Cardano Vs Stellar, The Race Continues.
Well, we did see some small bumps down for Cardano, which has obviously decelerated the distance we are seeing in market cap at the moment, with that in mind however, it does look like Cardano has reached a turning point and is on the climb. Perhaps suggesting this is merely a near miss for Cardano?
At the time of writing, Cardano stands at $0.27, up 5.38%.
Stellar, has ultimately seen a decrease in its ascent over the past few days of course, which again has hampered its ability to shoot past Cardano.
At the time of writing, Stellar stands at $0.37, up 4.78%.
As the markets are looking super healthy at the moment, we are expecting the two, to climb in unison. If we see another surge over the weekend, we should expect the values of the currencies to remain relative, in short, I can’t imagine any surge from Stellar would push it past Cardano suddenly. This is because generally, the surge will be advantageous to Cardano also.
Well, we did see some small bumps down for Cardano, which has obviously decelerated the distance we are seeing in market cap at the moment, with that in mind however, it does look like Cardano has reached a turning point and is on the climb. Perhaps suggesting this is merely a near miss for Cardano?
At the time of writing, Cardano stands at $0.27, up 5.38%.
Stellar, has ultimately seen a decrease in its ascent over the past few days of course, which again has hampered its ability to shoot past Cardano.
At the time of writing, Stellar stands at $0.37, up 4.78%.
As the markets are looking super healthy at the moment, we are expecting the two, to climb in unison. If we see another surge over the weekend, we should expect the values of the currencies to remain relative, in short, I can’t imagine any surge from Stellar would push it past Cardano suddenly. This is because generally, the surge will be advantageous to Cardano also.
How to Diversify Your Crypto Portfolio in 2018
For even the casual observer, the past few months have been a wild ride in cryptocurrencies. It appears for now, as I predicted, some of the hype would subside and we can get on with real crypto trading and investing. Actually a lot of what I wrote (less hype, more regulations) has come true, the link is here to reread.
It is not with an “I told you so” attitude that I write the hype is taking a vacation, I write because the hype needed a vacation for the long-term good of cryptocurrencies. I am well aware many people have been burned and their accounts have taken a few knock-out blows. To be honest some have given up on cryptos all together. The majority of the departing crypto traders are those who refused or neglected to get some training or qualified advice before diving in.
For even the casual observer, the past few months have been a wild ride in cryptocurrencies. It appears for now, as I predicted, some of the hype would subside and we can get on with real crypto trading and investing. Actually a lot of what I wrote (less hype, more regulations) has come true, the link is here to reread.
It is not with an “I told you so” attitude that I write the hype is taking a vacation, I write because the hype needed a vacation for the long-term good of cryptocurrencies. I am well aware many people have been burned and their accounts have taken a few knock-out blows. To be honest some have given up on cryptos all together. The majority of the departing crypto traders are those who refused or neglected to get some training or qualified advice before diving in.
Bitcoin Cash Price May Rise to $1,250 if the Uptrend Remains in Place
Whereas there was seemingly no bottom in sight for most cryptocurrencies just a week or two ago, it seems there is a complete 180-degree turn in terms of momentum. With the way things are looking right now, it effectively becomes impossible to determine how high the values of individual currencies can go in the future. If the Bitcoin Cash price is any indication of what’s in store, the future looks incredibly bright.
More specifically, we have seen the Bitcoin Cash price rise from just above $700 to $1,138 in the span of seven days. Such unbroken upward momentum is incredibly rare in the world of cryptocurrency, even though late last year noted similar momentum. While it is still too early to determine if history will repeat itself, anything is possible in the cryptocurrency industry these days.
With another 16.82% Bitcoin Cash price increase over the past 24 hours, there is no end in sight to this uptrend. Combined with the 8.94% gain over Bitcoin itself, the future looks pretty interesting for BCH as of right now. As is always the case, solid upward momentum is usually met with a steep retrace at some point, and it is possible we will see a brief retrace at some point.
Whereas there was seemingly no bottom in sight for most cryptocurrencies just a week or two ago, it seems there is a complete 180-degree turn in terms of momentum. With the way things are looking right now, it effectively becomes impossible to determine how high the values of individual currencies can go in the future. If the Bitcoin Cash price is any indication of what’s in store, the future looks incredibly bright.
More specifically, we have seen the Bitcoin Cash price rise from just above $700 to $1,138 in the span of seven days. Such unbroken upward momentum is incredibly rare in the world of cryptocurrency, even though late last year noted similar momentum. While it is still too early to determine if history will repeat itself, anything is possible in the cryptocurrency industry these days.
With another 16.82% Bitcoin Cash price increase over the past 24 hours, there is no end in sight to this uptrend. Combined with the 8.94% gain over Bitcoin itself, the future looks pretty interesting for BCH as of right now. As is always the case, solid upward momentum is usually met with a steep retrace at some point, and it is possible we will see a brief retrace at some point.
What Is Mithril Cryptocurrency?
One could argue that there is no shortage of social media platforms out there. That is certainly true, but all of them are designed to harvest user data. Mithril takes a completely different approach, as it aims to put the “social” back in social media. Rewarding content creators, using social power to “mine” Mithril tokens, and bringing people closer together are just some of this project’s goals.
With such ambitious goals, Mithril will need to pack a fair amount of technology to make it all work. Even though the MITH token is based on the ERC20 standard, users will be able to “mine” this currency through social interactions and content creation. Any action taking place on the platform will mine MITH based on the project’s algorithm. This will incentivize people to use the platform quite frequently, as they will be rewarded for doing so.
One could argue that there is no shortage of social media platforms out there. That is certainly true, but all of them are designed to harvest user data. Mithril takes a completely different approach, as it aims to put the “social” back in social media. Rewarding content creators, using social power to “mine” Mithril tokens, and bringing people closer together are just some of this project’s goals.
With such ambitious goals, Mithril will need to pack a fair amount of technology to make it all work. Even though the MITH token is based on the ERC20 standard, users will be able to “mine” this currency through social interactions and content creation. Any action taking place on the platform will mine MITH based on the project’s algorithm. This will incentivize people to use the platform quite frequently, as they will be rewarded for doing so.
Cryptocurrency Ripple Effect Is Spreading
Cryptocurrencies seem to have weathered a storm of falling prices and are now heading up.
Bitcoin increased by around 20%, Ethereum by a third and Litecoin by 12%.
But Ripple was the big winner with almost a 40% rise.
The surprise contender is Ripple, which is not as widely available as the other big cryptocurrencies – for instance deVere electronic trading wallet Crypto includes Ripple, but some other big players like Coinbase don’t.
Ripple is making a play to encourage investors who want to move away from the frontier frenzy of cryptocurrency to a more calm and controlled trading environment.
Ryan Zagone, head of regulatory relations at XRP Ripple, is urging UK regulators to strike a balance between “capturing risk and enabling innovation.”
Cryptocurrencies seem to have weathered a storm of falling prices and are now heading up.
Bitcoin increased by around 20%, Ethereum by a third and Litecoin by 12%.
But Ripple was the big winner with almost a 40% rise.
The surprise contender is Ripple, which is not as widely available as the other big cryptocurrencies – for instance deVere electronic trading wallet Crypto includes Ripple, but some other big players like Coinbase don’t.
Ripple is making a play to encourage investors who want to move away from the frontier frenzy of cryptocurrency to a more calm and controlled trading environment.
Ryan Zagone, head of regulatory relations at XRP Ripple, is urging UK regulators to strike a balance between “capturing risk and enabling innovation.”
#cryptotimenews
🇺🇸 NEW YORK TO PROBE MAJOR CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGES
read more
🇦🇲 Armenian Blockchain Forum attended by nearly 600 IT specialists from 20 countries
read more
🇬🇧 Here’s Why Ripple Is Doing So Well
read more
🇮🇳 Cryptocurrency ban: Delhi HC seeks govt, RBI, GST Council's reply on plea
read more
🇺🇸 NEW YORK TO PROBE MAJOR CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGES
read more
🇦🇲 Armenian Blockchain Forum attended by nearly 600 IT specialists from 20 countries
read more
🇬🇧 Here’s Why Ripple Is Doing So Well
read more
🇮🇳 Cryptocurrency ban: Delhi HC seeks govt, RBI, GST Council's reply on plea
read more
Netflix, Inc.'s Cash Flow Guidance Is Scary
Last Monday, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) released a stellar first quarter earnings report. The streaming video pioneer beat its forecast for nearly every major reporting metric, continuing its strong growth trajectory.
Netflix even managed to reduce its rate of cash burn last quarter. Nevertheless, management is sticking to its forecast that free cash flow will fall even further into negative territory in the next few quarters — and won't turn positive for several years. If that projection is accurate, it's hard to see how Netflix will be able to live up to its valuation of nearly $150 billion.
Another earnings blowout
Netflix added 7.41 million streaming subscribers in the first quarter, easily beating its forecast of 6.35 million net additions. This was also up dramatically on a year-over-year basis: Netflix only added 4.95 million net new subscribers in Q1 2017.
In the U.S. market specifically, Netflix increased its subscriber base by 1.96 million, reaching 56.71 million total domestic memberships. Back in 2012, CEO Reed Hastings estimated that Netflix could eventually reach 60 million-90 million subscribers in the U.S. The company is on track to hit the low end of that range later this year — and it continues to grow its domestic user base at a steady pace.
Last Monday, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) released a stellar first quarter earnings report. The streaming video pioneer beat its forecast for nearly every major reporting metric, continuing its strong growth trajectory.
Netflix even managed to reduce its rate of cash burn last quarter. Nevertheless, management is sticking to its forecast that free cash flow will fall even further into negative territory in the next few quarters — and won't turn positive for several years. If that projection is accurate, it's hard to see how Netflix will be able to live up to its valuation of nearly $150 billion.
Another earnings blowout
Netflix added 7.41 million streaming subscribers in the first quarter, easily beating its forecast of 6.35 million net additions. This was also up dramatically on a year-over-year basis: Netflix only added 4.95 million net new subscribers in Q1 2017.
In the U.S. market specifically, Netflix increased its subscriber base by 1.96 million, reaching 56.71 million total domestic memberships. Back in 2012, CEO Reed Hastings estimated that Netflix could eventually reach 60 million-90 million subscribers in the U.S. The company is on track to hit the low end of that range later this year — and it continues to grow its domestic user base at a steady pace.
Russia’s Supreme Court Decision Paves the Way for Safer Bitcoin and Crypto Journalism
Everyone knows that Russia has a love-hate relationship with cryptos and blockchain. While the country promotes the use of blockchain to enhance its economic model, the situation is entirely different when it comes to Bitcoin and the rest of the altcoins. The discouragement of their use has even gone so far as to shut down news portals and websites promoting crypto.
However, a decision taken by the Russian Supreme Court a several days ago ago could lay the groundwork for safer journalism without fear of banishment or legal reprisals.
Everyone knows that Russia has a love-hate relationship with cryptos and blockchain. While the country promotes the use of blockchain to enhance its economic model, the situation is entirely different when it comes to Bitcoin and the rest of the altcoins. The discouragement of their use has even gone so far as to shut down news portals and websites promoting crypto.
However, a decision taken by the Russian Supreme Court a several days ago ago could lay the groundwork for safer journalism without fear of banishment or legal reprisals.
Forget Bitcoin; You Should Be Looking At These Cryptocurrencies
Although Bitcoin is slowly starting to pick up again, and experts are still predicting big things for the cryptocurrency, it is safe to say that it has not had the best start to the year at all. Despite the fantastic performance it put in at the end of last year, it sadly has not been the same story this year at all.
So, if you are looking for something else to invest in, fear not. It’s time for Bitcoin to move over, because there are six more cryptocurrencies waiting in the side lines, that have all been tipped for success.
read more
Although Bitcoin is slowly starting to pick up again, and experts are still predicting big things for the cryptocurrency, it is safe to say that it has not had the best start to the year at all. Despite the fantastic performance it put in at the end of last year, it sadly has not been the same story this year at all.
So, if you are looking for something else to invest in, fear not. It’s time for Bitcoin to move over, because there are six more cryptocurrencies waiting in the side lines, that have all been tipped for success.
read more
BILZERIAN AND BITCOIN: SECOND TIME LUCKY?
The outspoken gambler and internet personality, dubbed Buzzfeed’s “most popular man of Instagram” and whose net worth is over $100 million, hinted he was preparing to buy back into the market in a tweet April 22.
Bilzerian is the latest voice to lend weight to the theory that Bitcoin prices have returned to an upward trend after almost six months of losses following December 2017’s all-time highs.
As Bitcoinist reported, Sunday saw prices hold just below $9000 to cap the first consecutive two-week gains for BTC/USD since the $20,000 levels.
The outspoken gambler and internet personality, dubbed Buzzfeed’s “most popular man of Instagram” and whose net worth is over $100 million, hinted he was preparing to buy back into the market in a tweet April 22.
Bilzerian is the latest voice to lend weight to the theory that Bitcoin prices have returned to an upward trend after almost six months of losses following December 2017’s all-time highs.
As Bitcoinist reported, Sunday saw prices hold just below $9000 to cap the first consecutive two-week gains for BTC/USD since the $20,000 levels.
Bitcoin Above $9,000, All the Forks are Back
Bitcoin (BTC) broke above the $9,000 level, among talk of entering “interesting” price territory. The price gain in 24 hours was just around 3%, to $9,179.23. Bitcoin’s dominance over the market capitalization hovers around 38%.
But some Bitcoin forks made an even stronger impression, and most notably, the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) climb continued. BCH added another 19% overnight, to $1,549.25, and is the strongest gainer today among the top 10 of coins. Other forks are not far behind.
Bitcoin Gold (BTG) grew by a stunning 30%, to reach $88.04 - still quite far from the $500 peak right after the launch, and now the new uptick is barely above the general sideways movement. But a 30% overnight peak is still impressive, and some volumes are returning to BTG.
Bitcoin (BTC) broke above the $9,000 level, among talk of entering “interesting” price territory. The price gain in 24 hours was just around 3%, to $9,179.23. Bitcoin’s dominance over the market capitalization hovers around 38%.
But some Bitcoin forks made an even stronger impression, and most notably, the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) climb continued. BCH added another 19% overnight, to $1,549.25, and is the strongest gainer today among the top 10 of coins. Other forks are not far behind.
Bitcoin Gold (BTG) grew by a stunning 30%, to reach $88.04 - still quite far from the $500 peak right after the launch, and now the new uptick is barely above the general sideways movement. But a 30% overnight peak is still impressive, and some volumes are returning to BTG.