Before Spike Lee accepted cryptocurrency, he turned down Crocs.

Years ago, the filmmaker rejected an offer to buy into the Colorado company that makes perforated foam clogs, a decision that caused him to miss out when its stock soared on the strength of the footwear fad.

“I wish I would’ve given some money back then,” Mr. Lee said in a recent interview. “Anytime something is new, you’re going to have people who are going to be skeptical. With some of the best ideas, people thought the inventors were crazy.”

Now he has taken a leap into another cultural craze, having agreed to direct and star in a television commercial for Coin Cloud, a company that makes kiosks for buying and selling Bitcoin and other virtual currencies. Although cryptocurrency is not widely used for transactions, an increasing number of merchants now accept it as payment.

The commercial, which he shot last month, is one of several recent marketing efforts meant to broaden the audience for a form of currency that can intimidate people accustomed to cash and credit cards.

Mr. Lee, outfitted nattily in a straw hat and gold-tipped cane while filming part of the commercial on Wall Street, led a diverse cast that included his daughter Satchel, the “Pose” actress Mj Rodriguez and the drag queen Shangela. Other shoot locations included Fort Greene Park and the Chillin’ Bar and Grill in Washington Heights, where breakfast patrons craned to catch a glimpse of the director as he filmed a Coin Cloud machine on the sidewalk.

“Old money is not going to pick us up; it pushes us down,” Mr. Lee says in the commercial, which portrays the cryptocurrency system as a more accessible and equitable alternative to traditional, discriminatory financial institutions.

“The digital rebellion is here,” he says.

Cryptocurrency has also been known to intimidate investors, with its extreme volatility and the overwhelming number of virtual alternatives, known as coins. The marketing of this relatively new money has so far been limited mostly to ads on trade websites and targeted pushes on social media, where aficionados swap meme-fueled in-jokes about coin values rocketing to the moon.

The industry is increasingly betting that celebrities can help demystify cryptocurrency for the uninitiated.

The actor Alec Baldwin offered crisp definitions of cryptocurrency in a series of online ads for the crypto trading platform eToro, and the National Football League star Tom Brady signed on as a brand ambassador for FTX, a crypto exchange that also has a deal to sponsor Major League Baseball.

The actor Neil Patrick Harris recently appeared in a TV commercial for the digital currency kiosk operator CoinFlip. “Now anyone, anywhere, can turn cash into crypto!” he declares.

EToro and Coinbase, another exchange, collectively spent $22.8 million on advertising last year, nearly double the $12.4 million they shelled out in 2019, according to the research firm Kantar. In recent months, Coinbase hired the Martin Agency, the advertising company behind GEICO and DoorDash.

As Madison Avenue fields more inquiries from cryptocurrency clients, agency executives are feeling pressure to better communicate the investment risks, rather than romanticize the industry.

“I get very nervous because I start looking at the way that some of the platforms are specifically targeting younger investors,” said Alex Hesz, the chief strategy officer of the advertising giant DDB Worldwide.

In the face of frenzied cryptocurrency trading, ad agencies should push for moderation and diversification, he said.

“Maximizing is what’s being encouraged here — the idea that this is an amazing asset, and as much as you want to put in, come on and jump on in, the Bitcoin’s lovely,” Mr. Hesz said. “We would never feel comfortable for an alcohol client, or a high-salt or high-sugar or high-fat client, to encourage that level of unequivocal behavior.”

Some celebrity endorsements of cryptocurrencies have run into trouble. In 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission cautioned that some famous people were hyping the virtual currency sales known as initial coin offerings without disclosing that they had been paid to promote them. The commission has since settled charges against the boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., the music producer DJ Khaled and the actor Steven Seagal.

Social media influencers and e-sports stars have also been linked to shady cryptocurrency schemes, accused of pumping up coins just before their value crashes.

Coin Cloud’s chief marketing officer, Amondo Redmond, said he hoped Mr. Lee’s stature would help elevate the industry by delivering something “more than just cool creative, but that is really at the forefront of digital currency becoming mainstream.”

“It’s more than just adding a celebrity face,” he said.

Mr. Lee, who won an Oscar in 2019 in the best adapted screenplay category for “BlacKkKlansman,” has worked on ads for Capital One, Uber and, most famously, Nike. In the 1980s and 1990s, he directed and starred in commercials for Air Jordans, playing his cinematic alter ego Mars Blackmon opposite Michael Jordan.

“That was lightning in a bottle,” Mr. Lee said from a flight bound for the Cannes Film Festival, where he is the first Black person to lead the festival jury.

He declined to say how much he had been paid for the Coin Cloud commercial, but noted that “if anyone’s known my body of work over the last four decades, you kind of know about the way I see the world, and when they approached me, it fit in line.”

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to highlight financial disadvantages for people of color, Mr. Lee hopes to promote cryptocurrency as neutral to race, gender, age and other identifying characteristics.

But he was no expert before filming began, and had to take “a crash course” on crypto. He insisted that the commercial include a line urging viewers to do their own research on virtual money.

Mr. Lee said he now planned to invest in virtual coins. He said he would not, however, go anywhere near the digital ownership certificates known as nonfungible tokens.

“NFTs, I don’t understand that,” he said, laughing. “I’m old school, so sometimes my children have to turn on the TV — all those remotes and stuff.”

Bitcoin value rallied lately after it broke the important thing $three,900 resistance space towards the US Greenback.The worth surged increased and broke the $three,950 and $Four,000 hurdles to set the tempo for extra beneficial properties.There’s a main connecting bullish pattern line fashioned with help at $three,900 on the Four-hours chart of the BTC/USD pair (knowledge feed from Kraken).The pair is at present correcting decrease, however it’s prone to discover help close to $three,920 or $three,900.Bitcoin value climbed sharply right into a bullish zone above $three,900 towards the US Greenback. BTC/USD is positioned properly in an uptrend and dips near $three,920 stay supported for a contemporary bullish wave.Bitcoin Value AnalysisThis previous week, there have been a few bearish reactions under the $three,850 degree in bitcoin value towards the US Greenback. The BTC/USD pair spiked in direction of the $three,800 degree on two events, however patrons protected extra losses. Lastly, the value began a pleasant bullish wave and broke the $three,850 and $three,900 resistance ranges. It opened the doorways for extra beneficial properties above $three,900 and the value settled above the 100 easy shifting common (Four-hours). Throughout the upside, the value broke a key bearish pattern line with resistance at $three,890 to maneuver right into a bullish zone.Patrons gained management and the value rallied above the $Four,000 degree. It traded as excessive as $Four,041 earlier than sellers appeared. Later, a draw back correction initiated under the $Four,000 help. Sellers pushed the value under the 23.6% Fib retracement degree of the current wave from the $three,847 low to $Four,041 excessive. The worth declined sharply and examined the earlier resistance (now help) at $three,950. In addition to, the 50% Fib retracement degree of the current wave from the $three,847 low to $Four,041 excessive is at present performing as a help.Extra importantly, there’s a main connecting bullish pattern line fashioned with help at $three,900 on the Four-hours chart of the BTC/USD pair. Subsequently, if the value continues to maneuver down, it may discover a robust help above the $three,900 degree. On the upside, an preliminary resistance is at $Four,000, above which the value is prone to retest the $Four,040 swing excessive.Trying on the chart, BTC value properly moved right into a bullish zone above $three,900. Within the quick time period, there may very well be just a few swing strikes in direction of $three,920 or $three,900, however the value is prone to discover a robust shopping for curiosity. In the end, there are excessive probabilities of a contemporary upward transfer above the $Four,000 and $Four,040 ranges.Technical indicators4 hours MACD – The MACD for BTC/USD is slowly decreasing its bullish slope.Four hours RSI (Relative Power Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD corrected decrease and examined the 60 degree.Main Help Degree – $three,900Main Resistance Degree – $Four,040 Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience.This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

TNW uses cookies to personalize content and ads to make our site easier for you to use. We do also share that information with third parties for advertising & analytics. Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and insider stories by TNW. As we’re wrapping up 2018, it’s clear it wasn’t the breakout year for cryptocurrency and blockchain that many enthusiasts hoped it would be.True, the market has dipped significantly in comparison to last December, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enjoy Christmas the way Satoshi Nakamoto would’ve wanted you to.To get you started, we’ve prepared a list of services that accept cryptocurrency so you can plan your own ultimate crypto-Christmas and winter holidays.For those of you that prefer to spend the holiday season away from home, the first step would be finding a travel agency that will take your coins.Fortunately, there are already a number of airlines that support cryptocurrency payments. CheapAir.com has been accepting Bitcoin since 2013, and has since expanded its payment options with Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Dash.Expedia, BTCtrip.com, Destinia.com, Japan’s Peach Aviation, Claifornia’s Surf Air, and Latvia’s airBaltic are also crypto-friendly alternatives.As far as booking accommodation goes, giants Airbnb and Booking.com are still reluctant, but there are other alternatives you can resort to.CryptoCribs is one of those. The service works the same way as Airbnb, but you can pay in Bitcoin or Ethereum. Needless to say, there are other blockchain-powered booking services, but some of them might require you to buy their token first – and frankly, that’s a hassle. With CryptoCribs, you can simply use the Bitcoin and Ethereum you already have.Now that your travel arrangements are all taken care of, you probably want to grab a bite – and perhaps mix it with a beverage of your choice.Unfortunately, buying food with cryptocurrency is much more difficult than booking trips. While you will find small and medium businesses accepting coins everywhere in the world, these are far and few between. You can check out CoinMap for such locations, but you might have to compromise in the end – and just use hard cash.If you do indeed end up needing some cash, you can consult with CoinATMRadar for the closest cryptocurrency-enabled cash point around you.There is also the option to use cryptocurrency gift cards and coupons, but we wouldn’t recommend that method considering how wildly unregulated this whole sub-space is.It might be annoying, but you will also have to think about getting some Christmas presents for your loved ones.The good thing is that, since most stores don’t accept cryptocurrency payments yet, you won’t have to waste hours browsing for appropriate gifts – and simply pick what’s available. If someone complaints about your crappy gift choices, tell them the truth: “It’s the gesture that matters.”Anyhow, online retailer Overstock supports payments in Bitcoin – and if you get really lucky, you might even make some profit by using their service. There are also tons of Shopify merchants who will be willing to take your cryptocurrency too.And if you’re struggling to find the right present, you can always give your loved ones the gift of porn – and get them a premium subscription to Pornhub. Everyone watches porn (though it turns out nobody really pays for porn with cryptocurrency).Of course, it wouldn’t be a real crypto-Christmas unless you adorn your entire apartment (or hotel room) with blockchain-themed ornaments.Etsy has got you covered tho. The online retailer has tons of merchants offering blockchain swag you can repurpose as Christmas decorations.A good alternative for the lazy blockchain purists would be to visit your local hardware store and buy some chains to use as garlands – no better way to let your neighbors know you’re a real block(chain)head. Published December 19, 2018 — 11:00 UTC December 19, 2018 — 11:00 UTC Copyright © 2006—2019.

Bitcoin has seen growing adoption in Nigeria, especially since the economy fell into recession earlier this year following much lower global oil prices. The economys contraction by 2.06% between April and June 2016 has increased concerns regarding Nigerias banking system, with the nations currency greatly devalued, sending bitcoin at an all-time high of $1,228.09 in Nigerian money, according to the lowest offer on local bitcoins.In this context, Nigeria Today reports that Umaru Ibrahim, managing director and CEO of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) stated at a workshop organized by NDIC that:Another phenomenon emerging in the banking and financial landscape is the emergence of what is known as bitcoin. I understand that a lot of people have started to patronize bitcoin.NDIC, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, has increased supervision of the banking system to try and maintain financial stability. Bitcoin, so being outside of any central partys control, may, at scale, destabilize the wider financial system by devaluing the nations currency, relative to bitcoins value, which may cause inflation. Ibrahim states:On our part we have constituted a committee together with Central Bank to have an in-depth study of this phenomenon, looking at the advantages and disadvantages [of bitcoin], what it means for the payment system, safety and security of customer, money laundering, point of correction, guide or measurement of quantum of money or near money instrument, and the economy.Bitcoin adoption is growing in Nigeria. Pictured, the streets of Lagos, in Nigeria.For a country like Nigeria, which although the worlds 21st largest economy, lacks much banking infrastructure as we know it in the west and continues to suffer from a high rate of inflation annualized at 8.3%, digital currencies like bitcoin provide the nation with a way to leapfrog from developing to largely developed as far as payment systems are concerned. That is because bitcoins global nature, its easy exchange for national currencies, as well as the use of services which provide conversion of bitcoin to fiat on the fly, such as BitPay or BitWage, provides a mechanism by which anyone can be paid anywhere, without needing a bank account.Although it is still early stages for bitcoin, the currency might now be reaching a tipping point as it moves from the early adoption phase to a globally recognized brand name, carving niches across the globe, primarily as a hedge against continued monetary mismanagement worldwide, but also as a payment system to avoid unnecessary conversion into local currency with its own costs and time delays.Countries such as Nigeria, Venezuela, China, India, are at the forefront of this global shift, as national currencies are now kept in check by something that, unlike gold, you can easily move around, as well as perform, at scale fairly conveniently, all functions of fiat currencies, and far more on top with smart contracts which turn money into pure, easily programmable, code.Image from Shutterstock.Image b>patronize-bitcoin-says-nigerian-executive/Hot markets Powered by CryptoCompare /**/

Elements Music & Arts Festival in Lakewood (NE), Pennsylvania is thinking outside of the box with how attendees can purchase tickets. Even though Cryptocurrency has begun to crash in the recent weeks, many are still holding firm in hopes of a rebound. If you are someone still invested in cryptocurrency then you can purchase your ticket to Elements Lakewood using just that. It is one of the first festivals in the country to offer buying a ticket in this way. That being said there really is no gamble in it for the festival. The price in different coins for tickets updates regularly. It might just be the next big thing. What do you think? Is Elements Lakewood taking a chance here or getting ahead of a trend. Photo Via: Bitcoin.com

Dogecoin is a familiar name in the meme world and the cryptocurrency market. It is an alt-coin or an alternative coin. However, its humorous purview shouldn’t be taken for granted. After all, the meme cryptocurrency is worth more than the auto-manufacturer Honda. Backed by Elon Musk, the currency is bigger than his own company, SpaceX. Just a while ago, the combined market capitalization of Dogecoin was more than that of Infosys. A 33-year-old in the USA invested all his savings in Dogecoin almost instantly became a millionaire after a good bull run in the currency. So is the currency a joke? Or is it not? Let us explore the journey of Dogecoin.

It was the year 2013, a spiral of innovative memes had hit the social media market. One such meme was of the ‘Shiba Inu’, a Japanese breed of dog. The dogecoin is designed to have the face of the Shiba Inu dog on it. 

It was around this time when an engineer at IBM, Billy Markus from Portland, Oregon decided to come up with a ‘fun’ alternative to the famous cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. He created the design and the website which was then noticed by Adobe engineer Jackson Palmer who contacted Markus and they joined hands to create the protocol for Dogecoin. Dogecoin wasn’t intended to be taken seriously.

Dogecoin wasn’t the only other alternative cryptocurrencies available at the time. Litecoin, Namecoin, Peercoin, Luckycoin were some others to name a few. Dogecoin is quite different from the rest in terms of its concept, protocol, technology, value, and mining. For Bitcoin, a maximum of 21 million Bitcoins can be mined. It is estimated that the limit will be reached somewhere around the year 2140. As of May 7, 2021, Dogecoin has a market capitalization of $99.3 Billion, which is higher than almost all of India’s Nifty 50 companies. 

Till January 2021, Doge was like any other not-so-big cryptocurrency in the market. It picked in discussion group forums like Reddit and Discord. One day in January, Elon Musk, the founder of companies like Tesla and SpaceX put out a tweet with a single word, ‘Doge’. Dogecoin gained some chatter on discussion forums like Reddit. The chairman of WallStreetBets, which was also responsible for the GameStop Short Squeeze Fiasco earlier, tweeted “Has Doge ever been to a dollar?”. What followed was a massive ~99% increase in the value of Dogecoin by early May 2021. What followed was a number of tweets made by Elon Musk just patronizing Dogecoin. Every time he did, the price of the cryptocurrency saw a fluctuation. Soon Dogecoin for its humorous tweets made by Elon Musk and some other influencers became a centre of memes and jokes.

Bitcoin, the of the first cryptocurrencies to come into existence, is quite different from Dogecoin. Dogecoin has an unlimited supply. Bitcoin on the other hand has a fixed supply of 21 million bitcoins. The limited supply of Bitcoin causes an inflationary effect that leads to an increase in price. A sustainable price rise is not possible in Dogecoin, supply almost always replenishes demand. Bitcoin is backed by solid technology, unlike Dogecoin. In 2013-14, there were a series of cyberattacks on Dogecoin wallets and users where they lost almost 21 million coins to the theft. However, members of the Dogecoin community came together, chipped in, and donated the lost amount to the respective individuals.

A simple answer, no. It is an extremely risky asset. Predicting the price movement of Dogecoin is a very difficult task. It might be a short-term investment option, but definitely not good for a long-term investment. The crypto is controlled by very few entities like popularity, memes, statements by Elon Musk, etc. Close to 90% of the cryptocurrencies are controlled by 99 cryptocurrency wallets, meaning there is a high concentration of the asset. 

Prices of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are impacted by different indicators like price action, halving period, volume, and other technical indicators. Dogecoin on the other hand is impacted by how funny it is. As silly as it sounds, Dogecoin has seen rallies only after it is patronized by influencers on social media. Elon Musk was to appear on the famous American talk show Saturday Night Live(SNL). People were expecting Elon Musk to ‘hype’ the alt-coin. Instead, Elon Musk joked about it and called Dogecoin a “hustle”. The price of Dogecoin slumped shortly after the show. Essentially, a single person was controlling the value of the coin which is actually dangerous for an investor.

It is advised that a person researches and gets to know the basics of trading, technical analysis, and fundamental analysis of cryptocurrencies before trading them. 

𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜!  you don't miss your daily cryptocurrency news! original.com/?afmc=Crypt0f1 Become A Patron! ⭐  On Patreon - https://goo.gl/vpX5sW ⭐  On YouTube - https://bit.ly/2I4omX2 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-- 𝐫𝐞𝐝)! 9103856c9Ef40E676af03D96 💎►Donate Bitcoin: 3JKQycXHdD5yqSRTf5VabM28Ff9AfXYcJD 90x 💎►Donate Dash XoSvWd3uM6FWJwbJEtgDrooJgAvSjXHCAG jZh9JukZNGUyLvbJnXoJNRXTN98cSpLSRVN2bYoDTmsxkJSUKtmy 💎►Donate Using Paypal: https://goo.gl/7m1X4Z -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- (っ◔◡◔)っ  𝙈𝙐𝙎𝙏 𝙃𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙎 8PZ - https://www.amazon.com/shop/obham001 ► Crypt0 Merch - https://bit.ly/2uHudK4 ns If You Choose To View Ads): https://goo.gl/NpNa53 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- 🚀𝙁𝙊𝙇𝙇𝙊𝙒 𝙐𝙎 ► Twitter - https://goo.gl/fY2W2k ► Instagram - https://goo.gl/tV9kZh ► Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/crypt0snews/ ► Facebook Group - https://bit.ly/2FSR5gb ► Twitch Gaming Channel - https://www.twitch.tv/crypt0chaos tQHsh7Cx7MG5MVzSXioA ► LBRY - https://lbry.tv/@Crypt0:f/ ► Steemit - https://goo.gl/YNAK2u -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- have. #bitcoin #ethereum #cryptocurrency #blockchain #crypto #economics #investing #trading #futurism #cryptonews #btc #eth #eos #litecoin #technology

With Bitcoin and Ethereum on the tip of everyone’s tongue I wanted to sit down with my friend Crypto Rich to discuss what I feel are the two areas where both of these behemoths fall short, governance and privacy.

Governments are moving into hyperinflation of not just their money supplies but also their surveillance powers, which is what they are spending a lot of that newly printed money on. Rich and I delve into the BPSAA, the recent meteoric rise of Pirate Chain and where the industry is headed along that front as well as the pros and cons of he current state of the Decentralized Finance, DeFi, space.

Luongo The Central Bankers are Coming, The Central Bankers are Coming…. for your Bitcoin! Bitcoin, It’s Not a “Real” Truck Crypto Rich YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CryptoRich BitTube: https://bit.ly/bitubevideo​ Odysee – https://bit.ly/odyseecryptorich​ Youtube – http://bit.ly/youtubecryptorich​ Telegram: https://t.me/cryptorichofficial​ Twitter – https://twitter.com/CryptoRichYT​ Lbry – https://bit.ly/cryptorichlbry

Major Projects Mentioned: Pirate Chain Komodo Waves DigiByte

Previous Episodes: Podcast Episode #71 — Patron Q&A #2 – Will Crypto Save the World from the Great Reset? Podcast Episode #70 – Ryan Cristian and the Censorship of the World We Want Podcast Episode #69 – Alistair Crooke and the Costs of Civilizational War

You can follow the Gold Goats ‘n Guns Podcast on Apple Podcasts Podbean RSS 8mMf7Zf BCH: qq9pvwq26d8fjfk0f6k5mmnn09vzkmeh3sffxd6ryt DCR: DsV2x4kJ4gWCPSpHmS4czbLz2fJNqms78oE LTC: MWWdCHbMmn1yuyMSZX55ENJnQo8DXCFg5k DASH: XjWQKXJuxYzaNV6WMC4zhuQ43uBw8mN4Va WAVES: 3PF58yzAghxPJad5rM44ZpH5fUZJug4kBSa ETH: 0x1dd2e6cddb02e3839700b33e9dd45859344c9edc

Betting has not only been growing in scope, it has also been growing in importance. This is easily understood when you consider that the gambling industry is a huge billion-dollar industry. And there has been a massive growth of the industry since it opened doors for cryptocurrencies to come in.

Today, millions of people around the world not only gamble with cryptocurrencies, but have also started exploring another usage of the digital coin. With respect to gambling, many hybrid and crypto-only betting sites have made the crypto experience seamlessly convenient for players. But many bettors on crypto betting sites are still searching for ways to secure their crypto assets from any harm.

Considering how this has become important, we attempt to help you with the needed information below.

Why Secure Your Crypto Assets?

Cryptocurrencies are digital assets that you cannot physically see, touch, or hold because they are denominated in digital codes and numbers. This makes it susceptible to scams and all sorts of digital malware on the web. Malware actors don’t hesitate to update their systems with the most sophisticated technologies for hacking into crypto accounts.

Thankfully, most of the top crypto-accepting sportsbooks spend a huge chunk of money beefing up security on their systems. But without you, their security would be breached. That’s why you need to beef up your own security too so that hackers and malware developers don’t get hold of it.

Another reason for this is because of the volatility in the crypto world. Considering that the crypto world is digital, with more personal control than government control, there’s bound to be free rise and fall. This is usually on account of many market forces affecting the demand and supply of cryptos.

When the volatility is on the positive, many bettors can have their winnings tripled in some sportsbooks. But you still need to secure it from negative volatility. More so, you need to secure your assets to increase your chances of using your assets for something else. As a bettor, you could decide to branch into pure trading of cryptocurrencies; you would need to protect your assets to make that switch.

How do you Secure your Crypto Assets in Betting?

Let’s now discuss the various methods you should adopt to make your crypto assets secure.

Transferring Balance to your Crypto Wallets

You’ll agree that you don’t always use all the coins that you deposited for betting all at once. Most times many bettors even have more reserve money in their betting balance than what they actually bet. If you are betting with crypto, your balance deserves some more layer of protection to retain its value, at least.

The reason for this is that crypto wallets have software that you use to keep your account entirely exclusive. Depending on the type of wallets you use, using a combination of wallets offers an additional form of protection to your cryptocurrencies. The greatest benefit is that volatility trends are efficiently avoided with the use of wallets.

So, until you want to use your asset for betting, whatever dips or rise that happens, is not likely to have a direct impact on such asset. It is for this reason that you have to ensure you always move your balance to your wallet, pending when you want to bet.

Keep your Private Keys Safe Always!

Private keys are a combined set of numbers, symbols, and alphabets randomly and securely generated for every crypto user. Also a form of password, private keys are the most important login details a crypto bettor can have. They are created by the exchange or platform you patronize and strictly meant to protect your account at all times.

To make deposits from your crypto wallets to the sportsbooks, and subsequent withdrawal from your wallet, you need to provide your private keys. Without your private keys, such deposit and withdrawal will not happen. This is to ensure that you are the one carrying out every transaction on your account.

It’s advised that you choose different ways to protect your private keys from harm. This is because you may recover your password, but you can never recover your private keys, at least for now. So you need to adopt both online, offline/paper, mobile, and hardware means of securing these keys.

As much as you’d like to protect your asset/wallet from unauthorized use, you also need to be careful so you don’t misplace these keys.

Bet with Stable Coins

Stable coins are cryptocurrencies which have their values pegged to an external asset such as fiat currencies or stocks. They are essentially designed to offer you an additional layer of security in a market that’s slippery. With stable coins, bettors could rest assured that their money’s worth is retained even amid tumults.

Now, sportsbooks have started to provide stable coins as part of their offerings to bettors to stabilize their deposits and expected wins. What this means is simple: volatility will no longer affect your crypto asset. Of course, this is for bettors who wish to be concerned about the unpredictability of betting only; not that of cryptos. So, bet at sportsbooks that offer stable coins.

Smart Contracts

As you might guess, smart contract helps perform contracts between two or more parties using digital codes. The agreement is spelt out in codes that are made to auto-perform itself when the terms are either executed or breached by any party. So the essence of third parties like lawyers for enforcement is reduced.

Smart contracts are now a modest way of securing crypto assets in real-time, especially in betting. The sportsbook will typically include in its terms that a player’s assets will not be affected by volatility. As such, the asset is secured with its value remaining the same. You may look out for sportsbooks that offer smart contract options.

Wherever you bet, you need to adopt practical measures that will help you safeguard your crypto assets. This cannot be overemphasized as it keeps you in charge of your money, for use anytime.

You should also patronize sportsbooks that are consciously helping you protect your assets with proactive tips and actions. With these, you’d be better off betting with crypto.

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NFTs are creating the biggest buzz in the blockchain industry and cryptocurrency markets right now. Since the onset of the global pandemic, the global gaming industry has grown significantly due to the social restrictions in place in most countries. As a result, consumers spend more time on online platforms looking for entertainment.

As an amalgamation of the two, enter the NFT gaming industry, which uses blockchain technology in gaming. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) represent the digital assets used as content in the games.

Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are cryptographic assets on blockchain with unique codes which contain metadata that distinguishes them from each other. Due to their unique nature, they can’t be traded for another token or be exchanged for equivalency unlike cryptocurrencies.

NFTs have evolved from the ERC-721 standard. It is created by few of the people also responsible for the ERC-20 smart contract which a lot of tokens in the Ethereum network are currently based on. The ERC 721 sets the foundation for ERC 1155 standard by providing ownership details, security and metadata, essential for the exchange and distribution of tokens. ERC 1155 takes this a step forward by reducing storage and transactional costs required for NFTs, allowing them to be bunched into a smart contract as well.

NFTs are being sold as crypto art collectibles on the market now. According to data from CryptoSlam, there have been more than $700 million in NFT sales till date. Out of which more than $400 million of those sales have come in the last 30 days, signifying how rapidly the industry is growing in 2021 being thrust into the spotlight of a sudden.  

NFTs are seen in two major ways, as crypto-collectibles, and as fan tokens. Crypto collectibles are an art form that makes unique avatars or art pieces for fans and patrons to purchase and hold. Firms like NBA Top Shot and CryptoPunks are making the most prized NFTs available to the market apart from artist’s NFTs. Recently, artist Beeple’s NFT was sold through a Christie’s auction for $69 million to crypto personality Metakovan, making it the record NFT sale to date.

NFTs facilitate decentralized social governance through the use of fan tokens. These fan tokens allow brands, fans, influencers to engage directly with their fans and patrons by providing them with voting options at different stages and categories of the NFT. The use of fan tokens in sports like football has been in increasing considering the empty stadiums due to the ongoing pandemic. Sorare is the platform leading the charge and offering users a platform to indulge in these fan tokens.

NFTs are also popular in the gaming industry as their unique functionalities solve some of the inherent problems that the gaming industry itself has regarding the sale of rare traits and accessories on their platform. With the use of NFTs, these features can be transferred easily and used across different games. NFTs help drive in-game economies; several sections like art platforms and OTT platforms have been using gamification through NFTs as a part of their platform. One such example is Theta.tv, a decentralized streaming platform made for content creators to mint and share with their fans. The NFTs are powered by the THETA blockchain technology.

NFTs usage in games powered by blockchains brings immutability, provable scarcity, player ownership, and interoperability to online gaming for a completely decentralized gameplay. Blockchains could become the technological foundation for player experience, player transactions, and the back-end technology for the games themselves. Even gaming giant, Atari has announced that they will set up a crypto casino soon using Ethereum’s blockchain technology.

NFTs are also redefining the digital entertainment and OTT platform domain through gamification across some platforms. Most OTT platforms currently used are centrally controlled businesses; they work on two basic models. The first, more popular model is a subscription-based model wherein users pay a monthly or a yearly fee to have access to premium content on the platform. These models often also have multiple levels of subscription entailing that to access all the content on the platform users will have to pay a higher price as compared to a proportion of the content on the platform. Examples of this model are Netflix, Disney Hotstar, and Apple TV+.

The other established model is a free-for-users model, but the interference and distractions caused by advertisements placed within the content often prove to be a deterrent for users to use the platform. Perfect example of this in YouTube’s old business model, which they changed to offer a Premium subscription for their users who don’t want their attention monetized through advertisements.

In contrast, Xfinite, a blockchain technology platform aims to create positive economic incentives for its participants. Their first application, Mzaalo, is a gamified video on demand decentralised platform. Mzaalo provides free access to premium content, user rewards, and a range of interactive features. It is secured by Xfinite’s unique blockchain. Mzaalo is a way to push mainstream blockchain adoption and aims to democratize social entertainment.

Mzaalo’s OTT ecosystem rewards its users for watching content on its platform. The users can redeem their rewards for digital goods and premium experiences. Mzaalo has partnered with 50+ content providers to offer users a large collection of content. Since Mzaalo is focusing on the Indian market to start with, it has acquired the most extensive library of premium Bollywood content with exclusive licensing agreements. There are already 50,000+ hours of movies, series, live TV, video-on-demand content available on the platform. Their recent partnership with Eros, a big player in the Bollywood content ownership space, provides Mzaalo with a potential user base of more than 200 million registered users.

The XET token is the native currency of the Xfinite ecosystem. It is a token on the Algorand blockchain. XET functions as a unique value exchange mechanism for all stakeholders including users, brands & influencers, and content producers. Token holders can also vote for changes in the Xfinite protocol. Mzaalo’s aim is to take user engagement and reward structure a step further than the other gaming platforms available.

With the more recent proliferation of blockchain technology and NFTs demand in the market, the demand for applications like these are bound to increase, especially in a country like India with it’s extremely large population base of young consumers who are willing to adapt to change. Social entertainment could be the perfect place for blockchain technology to gain mainstream adoption in 2021 through such experiences and initiatives.

“Mario Casiraghi is the Chief Strategy Officer of Xfinite Global, a blockchain-powered global entertainment platform. Mario has been enmeshed in the blockchain sector since 2016, first as the founder of DandYlion and as a partner at Blockchain Solution Partners. He previously worked in traditional finance markets, both at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and at RBS.”

Dogecoin (DOGE) has hit yet another landmark as it can now be used to buy diverse luxury apartments in Lisbon, Portugal. 

The popular meme cryptocurrency that began as a joke and an asset for TikTok speculators to place bets on can now buy Condos in Portugal as a luxury penthouse in the country is up for sale for 5 million DOGE which is roughly estimated to sit at about $2.2 million. 

This recent event surfaced after FNTX capital Suisse, Zug-based cryptocurrency payments and OTC liquidity provider clamped into partnership with Portugal-based estate developer, 355 Developments to present condos in exchange for cryptocurrencies in the capital. 

With a current listing of three properties on the exchange, with the most affordable being a two-bedroom apartment for 1.5 million Dogecoin the partnership will enable interested individuals to buy properties using either Dogecoin, Bitcoin, Ethereum or Cardano through the FNTX’s “Real Estate Exchange”. The penthouse which is the most expensive property in the exchanges’ listing is valued at 5 million Dogecoin, roughly about 2.2 million USD. 

Dogecoin has been performing well this year as reports from CNBC has mentioned that the joke cryptocurrency has risen 26,000% in the last six months, defying all odds to sit comfortably as one of the first 10 cryptocurrencies on Coin Market Cap and Coin Gecko. The crypto has been enjoying massive support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk as he keeps making positive tweets in favour of the digital asset, recently asking followers if the coin should be accepted in exchange  for a Tesla automobile. 

Wide-spreading Desire for Crypto as a Means for Property Settlement

The increasing demand for cryptocurrencies to be used as a payment alternative for the purchase of solid properties has continued to trend as more countries and estate developers are buying into the innovation. 

A report by Yahoo Money stated that April saw a significant increase in the US as real estate sellers in America look forward to accepting crypto as payments for properties. 

“Last month, there were 71 listings that mentioned crypto or Bitcoin in their descriptions on the real estate listing site. That’s 14.3 listings per 100,000 homes, the highest rate on record, according to data”, the report explained. 

Cointelegraph has also reported on May 7 that the Art Surfside luxury apartments in Miami currently accept cryptocurrencies as payment for properties. The complex that is also home to Ivanka Trump would be accepting payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum and multi cryptocurrencies. 

This increasing trend has also been reported in the sales of properties in Dubai, Turkey, the United States and even Canada. 

Beach Club, the biggest outdoor clubhouse in Montreal has also announced plans to enable its patrons’ purchase beverages with cryptocurrencies starting next year. Beach Club owner Oliver Primeau announced in a social media post that read thus “Beachclub will officially be the first club in Canada to accept Bitcoin and Ethereum as a payment method.”

Due to its price volatility, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are often used as investments. But now, more opportunities to make purchases with cryptocurrency are available than ever before. Purchases can now be made through third-party vendors like Paypal, directly with a business that accepts cryptocurrency, or on a peer-to-peer payment platform through a cryptocurrency escrow payment.

Using one of these methods, users open themselves to a variety of products that can be purchased with cryptocurrency. Some of them include:

Although Expedia no longer accepts Bitcoin, CheapAir has recently expanded its payment methods to include Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dash, and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) for payments on flights, car rentals, and railway tickets. The company continues to promise its cryptocurrency users that as new coins are released, they will continue to update their payment methods to reflect consumers' popular choices.

The website ScubaOtter is a popular choice for making purchases of scuba gear with bitcoin.

Cryptocurrency enthusiasts can now purchase some of their groceries with Bitcoin, Litecoin, or the Gemini Dollars through the app 'Spedn,' after a partnership with Whole Foods. The Flexa spending app can also be used at Baskin Robbins, Jamba Juice, and several other food retailers in America.

Other countries have followed the trend towards digital payments as well, including KFC Canada. KFC made bitcoin available for payment and created the specialty bitcoin bucket. In France, the Just Eat service also announced that they could accept Bitcoin when ordering food through their platform.

Popular websites such as Gyft, Coingate, and eGifter allow users to pay for gift cards using bitcoin and several other altcoins, including Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin. Gift cards can be purchased for a variety of retailers, including Dunkin Donuts, Best Buy, Target, Nike, Airbnb, Footlocker, and Home Depot.

Many investors have chosen precious metals as an investment to diversify their holdings. Now there are many options to purchase these assets with cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin is the first of the cryptocurrencies to be used for big-ticket purchases such as real estate. In fact, Greater Property Group in Canada recently shared their digital currency program. By partnering with digital currency trusts, sellers can accept offers with bitcoin or Ethereum and choose if they want to receive the funds in fiat or digital currency.

Reed Jewelers, a jewelry store in the United States with over 74 years of experience, has recently started accepting bitcoin as a form of payment for watches, wedding bands, gems, diamonds, and anything else they sell in their stores.

For online purchases, users can use the "Pay with Bitcoin" option on their checkout page. In-store, users simply need to let one of the advisors know that they would like to pay with bitcoin.

For those who happen to be Dallas Mavericks or Miami Dolphins fans, digital currencies are another payment at your disposal. Shark Tank investor and avid bitcoin collector Mark Cuban has been behind the acceptance of bitcoin to buy tickets for upcoming games or any item sold at the stadium for Mavericks games. Similarly, the Miami Dolphins have allowed patrons to purchase food and tickets using the cryptocurrency Litecoin.

Furniture retailers like Overstock.com have also provided options for making purchases with digital currencies. On their website, users can purchase electronics, mattresses, coffee makers, tools, and rugs. To accept bitcoin, Overstock.com partnered with the Coinbase platform. By selecting "Pay with Bitcoin" in the payment information section, users are prompted to provide their information, including a Coinbase account or Bitcoin address.

Etsy, a globally renowned e-commerce platform, allows sellers to set bitcoin as a method of receiving payments from their purchases. Etsy isn't the only platform to do this; Shopify and Square have also made offerings available to allow small businesses to accept crypto. Furthermore, Blockonomics, a decentralized payment solution, has worked with the website platform WordPress to make Bitcoin integrations easy for business owners. As a result, many custom items or products created by small business owners can now be purchased with specific cryptocurrencies.

This is only a partial list of the places where you might choose to spend your cryptocurrency. After all, with a little creativity, such as transacting with sellers directly on a cryptocurrency escrow platform or purchasing gift cards, just about anything can be purchased with digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency users are leveraging their new-found wealth to fly more often with private jets. This week the directional aviation company Privatefly revealed that close to 20% of the firm’s sales were paid in cryptocurrencies last month, and 13% out of that aggregate used bitcoin.

According to data from the company Privatefly, purchasing flights with digital assets has soared in recent times. For instance, the directional aviation company said a few years ago, the company pulled in 1-2% from crypto payments for flights. The numbers jumped significantly in December 2020 to 12%, and subsequently spiked to 13% during the first month of 2021. Out of the 13% in BTC payments, cryptocurrency settlement, in general, makes up 19% of Privatefly’s revenue.

The flight company says that Privatefly started accepting bitcoin early in 2014 and since then, it has expanded its cryptocurrency support. The company uses Bitpay for one-off flights or memberships, and this week it has started a new bitcoin program. Privatefly has launched the “Bitcoin Jet Account,” which allows customers to hold their BTC and open a membership at the same time, but keep the funds held in crypto.

“While we have accepted bitcoin payments for many years now,” Adam Twidell, Privatefly’s CEO said. “Cryptocurrency transactions have really taken off in recent months. These are in line with Bitcoin’s climb in value – to the extent that 13% of our flights were paid for in this way last month. We have previously seen just 1-2% each month,” the CEO added.

Twidell continued:

Some of these are clients who are looking to realise their gains, while others want to hold onto their cryptocurrency, in expectation of future increases. So, in addition to taking out a membership with us in bitcoin and converting the account funds into traditional currency (as we have offered for a while), we now offer a membership program that allows the account funds to stay in bitcoin.

Privatefly explained that years ago, that the Belgian tech entrepreneur, Olivier Janssens, was the firm’s first customer to pay in bitcoin. Janssens took a flight to Nice Cote D’Azur from Brussels and booked and paid for the trip on the same day.

“The flight was the biggest Bitcoin payment transaction I have made,” Janssens said at the time. “But it was very easy and efficient, particularly as I wanted to fly at very short notice. It was the perfect way to pay.”

Recently, Credit Suisse Group AG, BNP Paribas SA, and a number of other financial institutions said demand for private jets has increased massively and should continue throughout 2021. “Looking back we had a very good year and much, much better than expected,” the chief of aviation for the equipment-finance unit of Societe Generale SA, Werner Slavik, noted during a Jet Investor event.

The aviation company Privatefly offers one-off ‘on-demand’ private flights, but regular patrons can also create a membership account and deposit funds regularly. “Privatefly has always sought to make private jet travel easier to book, combining innovative technology with deep industry expertise and the secure backing of one of the world’s largest private aviation groups, with annual revenues of over $2 billion,” Twidell noted during the announcement.

“Many of our clients are tech-savvy and entrepreneurial people, which is why we started accepting bitcoin payments for one-off flights in 2014, a world-first at the time,” Twidell concluded. “We are now the first to offer a private jet membership program based on bitcoin funds.”

Privatefly also supports payments in bitcoin cash (BCH), ethereum (ETH), and four USD-pegged stablecoins (GUSD, USDC, PAX, and BUSD).

What do you think about Privatefly’s recent crypto revenue uptick and the “Bitcoin Jet Account?” Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

MIDVALE, Utah – Bitcoin. Dogecoin. Ether. Digital dollar options are expanding. Their volatile values are setting record highs and lows. As more companies accept digital currency, are people actually spending it?

Bernie and Brothers Barber Co. in Midvale will take cash, cards, or if you like, Bitcoin.

“It’s the currency of the future,” said owner and barber, Bernie Hiett. “I wanted to be the first on it!”

Hiett loves the idea of cryptocurrency and its decentralized nature, specifically the part that allows her and her patrons to cut out the middleman.

“You’re not really paying a bank or a credit card processor – anything like that,” she explained. “So, it’s a good way to kind of skip that.”

Cryptocurrency is sort of like cash, but instead of handing off a dollar bill, you hand off a piece of computer code. Unlike a dollar, which has a fixed value, crypto is decentralized, meaning it is not tied to any physical coins or bills and there is no central authority overseeing its value.

So how much is a bitcoin worth?

Good question, as we discovered when we tried to pay Bernie and Brothers the equivalent of $10.

In the time it took to open a cryptocurrency exchange app, scan a QR code and click send, the value went up by $0.07 – almost a 1% increase in just 90 seconds.

That volatility is the reason you have been hearing a lot about cryptocurrencies lately.

On April 1, 2020, a single bitcoin was worth $6,671 according to CoinDesk. By April 15 of this year, its value shot up nearly tenfold to $63,346. That value plunged to $48,542 just 10 days later.

While 7 extra cents on a $10 transaction isn’t a big deal, such flux does make cryptocurrency tough to spend.

Which begs the question: Is cryptocurrency really a practical currency?

“That has definitely dampened its adoption for currency purposes, like for paying for haircuts, buying pizzas and buying real estate,” said Scott Condie, associate professor of economics at Brigham Young University. “When someone gives you cryptocurrency, you don’t have a good sense for exactly what that will buy five minutes from now, or an hour from now, or a week from now,” he explained.

Investment vs. Currency Condie sees cryptocurrencies more as a long-term investment than a currency.

Most Bitcoin owners seem to agree. A recent MoneyMagnify survey found 62% of people who have cryptocurrency believe it is their ticket to wealth. Still, if you want to use it as a practical currency, no question – more companies will take it, including Starbucks, Tesla, and even Utah’s own Overstock.com, which has accepted it for years.

“I do think Bitcoin is a viable currency,” said Overstock CEO Jonathan Johnson.

“At Overstock, we see people using it every day.” Though Johnson admitted, it is not a lot of people. “It is still a very small percentage of our sales, about a quarter of 1%,” he said.

Johnson explained the number of people buying their furniture, appliances, and other goods in Bitcoin fluctuates with the cryptocurrency market itself.

As its value drops, people spend the digital currency. When the value skyrockets – not so much.

“People view it as an investment holding, and I think they are hesitant to spend it because they want it to go up,” he said.

Exactly how many customers have paid with Bitcoin at Bernie and Brothers barbershop? Two, if you count me. Still, Hiett remains a believer that crypto will be a mainstream currency in the not-too-distant future.

“I think it will be pretty commonplace at some point,” she said. “It’s a workable currency right now so I don’t see why you wouldn’t take it.”

One thing you should know: If you decide to buy into cryptocurrency, you will get a key – a password of sorts.

If you forget it, tough.

In fact, a recent analysis by the cryptocurrency-data firm Chainalysis found $140 billion worth in bitcoin could be lost forever, due to forgotten passwords.

Cryptocurrency users are leveraging their new-found wealth to fly more often with private jets. This week the directional aviation company Privatefly revealed that close to 20% of the firm’s sales were paid in cryptocurrencies last month, and 13% out of that aggregate used bitcoin.

According to data from the company Privatefly, purchasing flights with digital assets has soared in recent times. For instance, the directional aviation company said a few years ago, the company pulled in 1-2% from crypto payments for flights. The numbers jumped significantly in December 2020 to 12%, and subsequently spiked to 13% during the first month of 2021. Out of the 13% in BTC payments, cryptocurrency settlement, in general, makes up 19% of Privatefly’s revenue.

The flight company says that Privatefly started accepting bitcoin early in 2014 and since then, it has expanded its cryptocurrency support. The company uses Bitpay for one-off flights or memberships, and this week it has started a new bitcoin program. Privatefly has launched the “Bitcoin Jet Account,” which allows customers to hold their BTC and open a membership at the same time, but keep the funds held in crypto.

“While we have accepted bitcoin payments for many years now,” Adam Twidell, Privatefly’s CEO said. “Cryptocurrency transactions have really taken off in recent months. These are in line with Bitcoin’s climb in value – to the extent that 13% of our flights were paid for in this way last month. We have previously seen just 1-2% each month,” the CEO added.

Twidell continued:

Some of these are clients who are looking to realise their gains, while others want to hold onto their cryptocurrency, in expectation of future increases. So, in addition to taking out a membership with us in bitcoin and converting the account funds into traditional currency (as we have offered for a while), we now offer a membership program that allows the account funds to stay in bitcoin.

Privatefly explained that years ago, that the Belgian tech entrepreneur, Olivier Janssens, was the firm’s first customer to pay in bitcoin. Janssens took a flight to Nice Cote D’Azur from Brussels and booked and paid for the trip on the same day.

“The flight was the biggest Bitcoin payment transaction I have made,” Janssens said at the time. “But it was very easy and efficient, particularly as I wanted to fly at very short notice. It was the perfect way to pay.”

Recently, Credit Suisse Group AG, BNP Paribas SA, and a number of other financial institutions said demand for private jets has increased massively and should continue throughout 2021. “Looking back we had a very good year and much, much better than expected,” the chief of aviation for the equipment-finance unit of Societe Generale SA, Werner Slavik, noted during a Jet Investor event.

The aviation company Privatefly offers one-off ‘on-demand’ private flights, but regular patrons can also create a membership account and deposit funds regularly. “Privatefly has always sought to make private jet travel easier to book, combining innovative technology with deep industry expertise and the secure backing of one of the world’s largest private aviation groups, with annual revenues of over $2 billion,” Twidell noted during the announcement.

“Many of our clients are tech-savvy and entrepreneurial people, which is why we started accepting bitcoin payments for one-off flights in 2014, a world-first at the time,” Twidell concluded. “We are now the first to offer a private jet membership program based on bitcoin funds.”

Privatefly also supports payments in bitcoin cash (BCH), ethereum (ETH), and four USD-pegged stablecoins (GUSD, USDC, PAX, and BUSD).

What do you think about Privatefly’s recent crypto revenue uptick and the “Bitcoin Jet Account?” Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Purchase Bitcoin without visiting a cryptocurrency exchange. Buy BTC and BCH here.

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