CALABASAS, Calif., Nov. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Bitcoin TV launched today, making the best of Bitcoin available in a curated streaming channel for everyone around the world, around the clock. With viewing initially available at bitcointv.network and on YouTube, the channel's mission is to educate and entertain both newcomers and long-time advocates of the decentralized digital money. "Bitcoin TV makes it easy to sit back and learn all about this revolutionary new money," said founder Cory Klippsten. "There is a ton of high quality Bitcoin education content available, but there's so much noise that curation is an absolute necessity." Klippsten, who is also CEO of Bitcoin purchasing service SwanBitcoin.com, previously worked on YouTube sales strategy at Google, and later advised online video companies Pluto TV (acquired by ViacomCBS), New Form, and Reelgood. Preview participants made it clear that Bitcoin TV fills an acute need. As one fan said, "It's CNBC for Bitcoiners. I leave it on my TV throughout the day, listen to it at the gym, and hit the Youtube chat in the evenings." With zero promotion for the week-long preview, the channel garnered thousands of viewers with an average watch time of 47 minutes. With support and participation from many of Bitcoin's best content creators, Bitcoin TV plans to add value to existing Bitcoin education content through production, curation, editing, organization, and presentation. In Q1 2021, Bitcoin TV plans to launch on over-the-top television services like Pluto TV, Roku, and Samsung. The service already features respected technologists, economists, and Bitcoin advocates like Andreas Antonopolous, Raoul Pal, Lyn Alden, Chamath Palihapitiya, Naval Ravikant, Max Keiser, Stacy Herbert, Adam Back, Danielle DiMartino Booth, Preston Pysh, Matt Odell, Robert Breedlove, Stephan Livera, Andy Edstrom, and Tuur Demeester, with many more to come. The Bitcoin industry has matured quickly over the past few years, as Bitcoin has become a major player in the global macroeconomic and investment landscape. Some of the world's leading financial institutions and investors like Fidelity, JPMorgan, Stanley Druckenmiller, Paul Tudor Jones, Raoul Pal and more have made large investments in Bitcoin and in the broader industry. "The time is right for Bitcoin TV to build on this momentum," said Brady Swenson, Programming Director of Bitcoin TV. "As hundreds of millions of people around the world discover Bitcoin in the coming years, we will continue our efforts to bring the best minds in the world to Bitcoin TV." Swan makes it easy for retail investors to set up automatic recurring purchases of Bitcoin straight from their bank account, similar to automatic contributions to a 401k. This "set it and forget it" method has proven to be the best approach for building a Bitcoin position over the long term, avoiding the pitfalls of trading and related tax consequences while ensuring steady accumulation. The service also allows members to wire funds or use ACH bank transfers for larger one-time purchases. Says Klippsten, "The more someone knows about Bitcoin, the more they buy, so Bitcoin TV is a natural extension of our commitment to education." The Swan team already includes several authors and podcast hosts, including Yan Pritzker ("Inventing Bitcoin"), the pseudonymous Gigi ("21 Lessons"), Swenson (the "Citizen Bitcoin" and "Swan Signal Live" podcasts), Andrew Edstrom ("Why Buy Bitcoin"), Klippsten (the forthcoming book "Bitcoin: A Bright Orange Future"), and Jason Don aka Brekkie von Bitcoin (the "Swan Lounge" podcast). Additionally, Swan sponsors the "Stephan Livera Podcast" and Bitcoin writer/philosopher Robert Breedlove, both leaders in the space. "In a time of monetary chaos, Bitcoin is inspiring millions to imagine a brighter future we can build together," said Klippsten. "We hope Bitcoin TV will help unite the world in pursuit of this cause." Media Contact Cory Klippsten, Swan Bitcoin, +1 9176927764, 21million@givebitcoin.io Twitter, Facebook   SOURCE Swan Bitcoin

The world of cryptocurrency can seem intimidating for new investors. There are hundreds of new terms to go along with the new technology, and many people find themselves wondering where to start with things like how to buy Ethereum, what the best crypto is to invest in, or even how it all works in the first place. The good news is crypto doesn’t have to be as confusing as it seems. Many of the technical terms unique to crypto are more similar in practice than you would think, and new concepts don’t have to be as complex as they appear. These terms may be useful to you whether you have a Bitcoin IRA, crypto 401k, or other forms of investing in Bitcoin.

In simple terms, a wallet holds, sends, and receives crypto. On a technical level, wallets don’t hold your coins inside them (just like your bank account doesn’t have stacks of dollars in it), but it does store all the information you need to access and interact with your coins on the blockchain. In this way, a wallet is a representation of what’s happening on the blockchain, but using a wallet is much easier than trying to interact directly with the blockchain yourself, and also provide convenient transaction records just like your bank account would. Wallets can come in the form of an app on your phone or computer, or as a special hardware device. A custodian like BitGo can also manage your wallet – and all the sensitive information it contains – for you.

Your wallet address functions the same as your bank account number, letting people who want to give you money know where to send it. It’s sometimes referred to as a public key, and though there are some technical differences, a public key and wallet address function in basically the same way, and as crypto becomes more mainstream the two terms are often interchanged.

Your private key is a unique code that only you have access to and is what enables you to sign off – or approve transactions. After you add your unique signature to a transaction, that transaction will be sent to the blockchain. While you don’t see your private key when signing a transaction, it’s stored in your wallet. This is why it’s very important to be careful with your wallet security since unlike a bank account that would probably require multiple levels of verification before transferring your money, crypto transactions require only the private key to send your funds.

Decentralization means that network control is distributed among individuals rather than managed by one central party. Anyone can join a decentralized network, and each person who joins helps confirm that all transactions going through the network are valid. This means decentralized networks are less prone to manipulation and are also more stable since they don’t have a single point of failure.

Staking refers to depositing coins on a network in exchange for the right to confirm transactions and earn fees from those transactions. Usually, staking also requires running a node, the technical part of the network that does the work of checking transactions. Since many people may either not be that technically savvy or not have enough capital to meet the minimum requirements for running a node, they can combine their funds with others’ in a staking pool or similar service. A pool or staking service takes responsibility for running the node along with a small commission for doing so – and investors get to reap the rewards of staking without hassle. Investing in Ethereum 2.0 is one example of an opportunity where investors can earn money by staking. Staking with Ethereum 2.0 can earn up to 18.10% annually.

The blockchain is where transaction information is stored. It’s a public ledger that anyone can view. Each block of information is connected to the one before it through advanced encryption, making transactions that are recorded on the blockchain immutable – meaning no one can go back and alter any completed transaction.

Proof of work (PoW) describes a process through which cryptocurrency miners earn the right to confirm transactions on the blockchain by using computer power to solve a complex mathematical equation. Bitcoin’s network uses proof of work. The first to solve the equation is rewarded, and the block is sent to the rest of the network to be verified and added to the blockchain’s public record. Requiring work to officially confirm transactions helps secure the network since the time and energy spent makes attempting to confirm invalid transactions (which would be rejected by the rest of the network) unappealing.

Proof of stake (PoS) is an alternative to proof of work. Rather than requiring miners to spend money and energy to add transactions to the blockchain, proof of stake requires validators to put their capital on the line to officially confirm blocks. The more money a validator stakes, the greater share of the network they get the opportunity to confirm and the more fees they earn for doing so. Meanwhile, if a validator attempts to undermine the network by trying to approve invalid transactions, they can be flagged by other validators and their staked capital can be destroyed. The most popular example of proof of stake is Ethereum 2.0.

Cryptocurrencies stored on devices without an internet connection are said to be in cold storage. Because it is completely offline, cold storage – including the bank-grade vaults used by our custodian – is the best way to guard against hacks and is considered the gold standard in crypto storage. Hardware wallets are another form of cold storage, while software wallets – apps that run on your phone or computer – are hot wallets. Hot wallets are convenient but also more vulnerable to attack because they’re always online.

— Bitcoin IRA (@Bitcoin_IRA) January 14, 2021

Fiat is traditional money, like the US dollar or Chinese yuan. Regulated by central banks, fiat is backed by the faith and credit of a government and can be minted and printed at will. Cryptocurrency, run by software, uncontrolled by a central party, and often with a hard cap on the number of coins that can ever be in circulation (such as Bitcoin), is often seen as an alternative to fiat, aiming to solve many of the problems that occur with fiat currency such as high transaction costs, limited global use, and inflation.

Cryptocurrency and the new terms it brings along with it don’t have to be intimidating. And though the technology is revolutionary, you don’t have to be a developer to use it any more than you have to be an engineer to take a flight. With an understanding of some of the basic concepts, you can be ready to jump into the brave new world of crypto. So, if you find yourself wondering how to buy or invest in Ethereum, or ready to add Bitcoin and its potential returns to your retirement portfolio, head over to our “How It Works” page and let us help you get started!

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Bitcoin has planted itself firmly back in the financial news as the digital currency is again above or near all-time highs, not seen since the crypto run faded in 2018. However, this time Bitcoin could be around to stay.

PayPal (NYSE: PYPL), Square Inc (NSDQ: SQ), and dozens of other companies recently announced they would begin accepting cryptos by the end of 2020. Not only that but cryptocurrency experts like Anthony Pompliano, AKA The Pomp, have made Bitcoin and Ethereum price predictions that show the assets could remain a bullish market.

As Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies gain endorsements and acceptance from companies like PayPal, Microsoft, and AT&T, it’s time to evaluate their potential role in a diversified portfolio. Does Bitcoin have a place in your IRA? Should you invest in Bitcoin or invest in Ethereum? Or should you continue with only the old-school mix of stocks and bonds? A lot will depend on your own individual goals and risk tolerance, but you might be surprised to learn how far Bitcoin has come in a short time frame.

A stock is a little piece of paper that says you own a tiny stake in a public company. Stock certificates used to be sent in the mail. Today, you won’t get a certificate (or even a little piece of paper) since most trading is done electronically or over the phone. However, buying a stock still allows you access to a portion of an operating company’s profits.

When public companies want to raise capital, they have a few options. They can issue debt in the form of bonds, which act as loans purchased by investors or institutions. Bonds are basically IOUs — you lend your capital to the company and they promise to return it at a specific future date, along with some income payments during the life of the debt (called a coupon). But bonds don’t entitle you to any profits, just the return of the money you originally lent out.

Companies can also issue equity in the form of stock to raise money. During an offering, a public company will sell off little pieces of itself as shares of stock to investors. Stocks are riskier than bonds since the company’s performance dictates how much the stock returns, unlike the preset parameters of a bond. If the company does well, the shares could balloon in value, plus investors could be rewarded with dividends on any excess profit. However, if the company struggles and sales don’t meet expectations, the value of the shares will likely decline, and investors will have no recourse for their lost capital.

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency developed to run through a digital ledger known as the blockchain. Developed in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, the goal of Bitcoin was to provide a decentralized currency for online transactions. The idea behind cryptocurrencies wasn’t a new one, but Nakamoto was the first to offer a solution to the inherent security issues behind a non-centralized digital asset.

By utilizing blockchain technology, Bitcoin would create a ledger of transactions that was both secure and unchangeable. Each transaction would be recorded and stamped to verify its uniqueness, which would prevent Bitcoins from being manipulated or spent twice. Basically, Nakamoto’s currency would prevent digital counterfeiting without the input of a central authority.

Bitcoin transaction processing speed has been lapped by some new entrants like Ethereum and Bitcoin Cash in the cryptocurrency space. Still, Bitcoin is an intriguing high-potential growth asset worthy of discussion for your portfolio, especially in a crypto IRA or 401k.

What are the pros of investing in Bitcoin?

Stocks are typically less volatile, whereas cryptocurrencies are newer and have potentially more risk and reward.

But one thing is for certain, Bitcoin has been significantly outperforming the S&P 500 in 2020 by a giant magnitude in 2020. To be more specific, the S&P 500 increased by around 18%, while Bitcoin went up nearly 350%.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Overall, these investment choices differ significantly so the decision is based on each investor’s personal preference and includes factors such as time horizons and risk appetite.

Many financial experts say it’s important to diversify your investments to decrease risk. Investing can be complicated, but online sources, such as Benzinga, CoinDesk, or Investopedia, can be one of many sources you can use to learn about investing.

Recommended article: How Bitcoin IRA works

Source: -crypto

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The price of Ether (ETH), the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain network, has been soaring since the beginning of the new year. What’s more, it has outperformed Bitcoin (BTC) since Jan. 1, gaining roughly 81% compared to Bitcoin’s 26% in their respective USD pairs year-to-date.

There are three main reasons why ETH has been outpacing BTC throughout the past several days. The factors are Ethereum’s accelerating growth, the improving sentiment around DeFi and BTC’s current period of relatively low volatility.

DeFi tokens have been surging rapidly as of late, led by majors such as Aave and SushiSwap, as Cointelegraph reported.

The rally of DeFi tokens is partly fueled by the fast-growing total value locked (TVL) of the DeFi market, which estimates the amount of capital deployed to DeFi protocols.

At over $24 billion, there is more capital locked across DeFi protocols than ever before, which signals massive demand. This is crucial for the momentum of Ethereum — and consequently its Ether token — because more and more apps and tokens rely on its network.

The rising number of users is shown by the massive uptick in Ethereum gas fees. Although high transaction fees are not ideal, Jacob Franek, a partner at DeFi alliance, said this is a positive factor because it shows the willingness of users to pay, indicating genuine demand. He said:

“Cumulative fees, yes. It’s the most direct measure of aggregate willingness to pay (i.e., demand) for block space. Ethereum has the most valuable block space in crypto now. Would it be better if individual tx fees were lower? Yes. That will come with L2 and other scaling efforts.”

Other layer one blockchain protocols are growing with significant anticipation to compete against Ethereum, like Polkadot and Cosmos.

However, in the foreseeable future, Ethereum’s network effect and the combined value of DeFi protocols on Ethereum make it less likely that Ethereum’s dominance in the DeFi sector would be challenged in the short term.

Throughout the past several days, Bitcoin has been mostly consolidating with low volatility allowing many altcoins to catch up. This has led the demand for altcoins with lower volume and liquidity to increase.

The Ether price rally coincides with what traders describe as “altseason,” a period wherein many altcoins rally in tandem especially when Bitcoin sees small price movements. 

This altseason — historically witnessed in the first months of the year — occurs when Bitcoin is ranging and investors seek high-risk plays. Altcoins usually see bigger price movements because their low liquidity makes them vulnerable to extreme volatility in short periods.

For retail and derivatives traders, the high volatility of the altcoin market makes smaller cryptocurrencies more appealing, at least in the near term, to trade over Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, BTC/USD remains in an uncertain position with some traders warning Bitcoin may break down from its range rather than continuing onto higher highs. If this happens, altcoins are likely to see larger losses compared to BTC. Jonny Moe, a cryptocurrency trader, said:

“Every time I start to convince myself to lean bullish, the longer I stare at this chart the more I start to get bearish again. I just really feel like this is going to breakdown and we close the weekly red, and I can’t shake that off yet.”

Source: faster-than-bitcoin-price-in-2021

Image source: Shutterstock Source: in-as-a-potential-future-reserve-currency

The daily volume of transactions on the Ethereum (ETH) network is now 28% greater than on Bitcoin (BTC), according to crypto analytics firm Messari.

On Jan. 19, Messari’s Ryan Watkins tweeted that Ethereum’s daily transaction volume “is going parabolic” alongside a chart indicating that Ethereum and Ethereum-powered stablecoins have processed $12.3 billion in transactions over the past 24 hours — dwarfing Bitcoin and Omni-based USDT’s $9.3 billion.

It now settles $12 billion in transactions daily – $3 billion more than Bitcoin.

Imagine not being bullish $ETH. pic.twitter.com/3NfOz1ruiM

— Ryan Watkins (@RyanWatkins_) January 19, 2021

The data excludes non-stablecoin ERC-20 transactions for Ethereum to avoid double-counting DEX volumes.

According to Blockchain Center’s “Flippening Index,” which uses eight key metrics to track whether the Ethereum network has surpassed Bitcoin in size and activity, Ethereum is 63.5% of the way to having flipped Bitcoin. 

While Blockchain Center’s data suggests Ethereum is yet to beat out Bitcoin’s transaction volume, the Flippening Index notes Ethereum is already beating Bitcoin by transaction count and total transaction fees. 

The data also has Ethereum’s node count at 94% after briefly flipping Bitcoin several times in recent months, and estimates Ethereum’s trade volume is equal to 57% of Bitcoin’s after bouncing off a record high of 76% last week.

Despite momentum building for Ethereum, the index shows Google search volume is only 14% compared to Bitcoin, and Ether’s market cap to be just 21% of Bitcoin’s. However, Messari estimates the entire Ethereum ecosystem to be worth $212 billion — equal to 31% of Bitcoin’s market cap.

Polkadot, the brain-child of Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, completed its own flippening last week to overtake Ripple’s XRP and rank as the third-largest non-stablecoin crypto asset by capitalization behind Ethereum.

Source: transactions-than-bitcoin

This week data from Arcane Research shows there’s been massive demand for Grayscale’s recently launched publicly traded crypto trusts. Following the trusts getting DTC eligibility last monday LTCN (litecoin) shares have been selling for a 753% premium while BCHG (bitcoin cash) shares have sold for a 351% premium.

Grayscale Investments’ Litecoin Trust (LTCN) and Bitcoin Cash Trust (BCHG) are seeing intense demand since the official launch this past Monday.

According to statistics from Arcane Research, LTCN was selling for a 753% premium while the BCHG trust was selling for a 351% premium.

Trading of both trusts didn’t really pick up until the very next day and Arcane Research said LTCN “traded with a wild premium since the launch.”

“Currently, the premium of LTCN is at a whopping 753%,” Arcane tweeted. “High retail demand for LTC exposure generates lucrative returns for the early investors of the trust.”

Arcane said the main drivers of Grayscale premiums include investors buying directly into the trust [who] seek compensation for the lockup period, high retail demand for crypto exposure through 401k savings, with few other options. The researchers also added some investors might not be aware of the premiums.

“The Grayscale [Bitcoin Cash] Trust was also launched this Tuesday, and has also traded at a large premium,” Arcane’s Twitter post added. “The current premium of BCHG is at 351%.”

Arcane added that the BCHG premium has been dropping since the trust launched. After tweeting about the LTCN, BCHG, and the ETHE trust as well, Arcane said that the public demand for digital assets makes it a perfect time to deploy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).

“Overall, the premiums of the Grayscale products are far above what they should be, when taking the lockup compensation into account,” the researchers noted.

Arcane further said:

When discussing the data for the Ethereum Trust (ETHE), Arcane wrote that trust has $837 million worth of assets under management (AuM ) or 1.8% of the ETH supply. Arcane noted that when the trust came out of the gate, the “premium soared above 800%” but it has since normalized.

“The publicly traded shares of the trust (ETHE) currently trade at a premium of 93.7% compared to the NAV,” the researchers said on Friday.

What do you think about LTCN and BCHG shares trading at well above the NAV? Let us know what you think about these trusts in the comments section below.

Use Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash to play online casino games here.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

Posted by Justin Szilard | Feb 21, 2019 | News | A new survey commissioned by eToro illustrates that millennials are more inclined to invest in cryptocurrency than their older peers, and when offered through a trusted financial institution those numbers increase even more.A new study by eToro shows: - 93% of millennials would invest more in crypto if offered by traditional fin. institutions- 74% of crypto traders are interested in crypto option from their 401k provider.J.P. Morgan recently became the first U.S. bank to create a digital coin.— eToro US (@eToroUS) February 20, 2019 Of the 1,000 respondents surveyed, “43 percent of Millennial online traders trust crypto exchanges more than the U.S. stock exchanges” vs. “77 percent of Gen X respondents trust stock exchanges more”. Then of the millennials that do not currently trade cryptocurrency, “71 percent said that they would if offered by a traditional institution”. Meanwhile, among all age groups that do not currently trade cryptocurrencies, “59 percent of respondents said they would invest more money in crypto if it were offered by a traditional financial institution”.A new study by eToro shows: - 93% of millennials would invest more in crypto if offered by traditional fin. institutions- 74% of crypto traders are interested in crypto option from their 401k provider.J.P. Morgan recently became the first U.S. bank to create a digital coin.Guy Hirsch, Managing Director of eToro U.S. highlighted that the “generational shift in trust from traditional stock exchanges to crypto exchanges” is steaming from a “loss of trust” in the stock market and other traditional institutions. However, as the study showed and Hirsch continued, millennials still trust consumer-facing companies, such as TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, or Charles Schwab, since if these companies offered cryptocurrency assets then 93% of millennial crypto traders would invest.“While both crypto enthusiasts and millennials alike seem to distrust monolithic institutions like traditional exchanges and the largest investment banks that play in them, there’s a great deal of demand from younger investors for offerings from firms that are more recognizable, aren’t perceived to be bad actors and have an infrastructure that can provide personalized and tailored advice.”The last economic recession that started in 2007/08 left a particularly sour taste in many young adults since they witnessed the crony capitalism that can come into play to cause a recession and then exasperate the effects. As Hirsch also discussed, these millennials saw the Federal Reserve institute quantitative easing, which largely benefited bond holders, stock holders, and others high up in the financial network. Then their own governments used taxpayer money to bail out the largest banks in the name of “too big to fail”, where individuals ended up seeing little real benefits. Thus, many have lost faith in the institutions that previously helped create wealth and are seeking alternative investment vehicles where they can opt-out of the status quo and forge their own path free from corruption.Nevertheless, as the study also shows, consumers still want to invest in cryptocurrencies via popular consumer friendly institutions. This motivation can be attributed to many reasons; a lack of cryptocurrency knowledge, lack of time and/or desire to manage their own investments, and/or other reasons. However, it also shows that consumers are looking for trusted parties to guide their investment options, especially in the new and unknown field of cryptocurrencies.Dash community positioned to be a modern cryptocurrency guideThe Dash community understands that to achieve more adoption, there has to be an effort to educate consumers on what cryptocurrency is and how to use the technology in a consumer friendly way. This includes not just the code and structure of different coins so consumers know which cryptocurrency best fits their usage and investment strategy, but also safety since there are numerous reports of consumers not properly securing their coins, getting hacked, or simply losing their private keys. To manage these learning curves, the Dash network has funded numerous community outreach groups to help educate consumers, such as Dash Colombia, Dash Embassy D-A-CH, Dash Embassy Thailand, Dash Nigeria, Dash Help, and more.It also needs to be highlighted that millennials factor in a distrust for corporate institutions as a reason for the appeal of cryptocurrencies. Thus, Dash needs to shed the common misconception of itself as “corporate coin” since, based on the study, this will not help increase Dash’s appeal among younger generations. The misconception arises from Dash’s Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) that enables it to more easily achieve consensus, fund its own development, and is comprised over around 5,000 masternodes, but to outsiders the DAO and Dash Core Group appears as a company structure even though it is not. To help flip this trend, Dash has also funded groups like Dash News and Dash Core Group PR team to give Dash a better online image.Justin Szilard is Head Writer for Dash News with a formal background in economics and research from the London School of Economics. He is a fan of cryptocurrency, the potential it holds to help bring about a better economy and society. Dash News is the world’s premier news service covering Dash and the exciting emerging field of digital currency. We are a project of the Dash Force and are funded by the Dash DAO treasury. We are run by industry professionals and are committed to being the most trustworthy news resource on Dash and digital currency.Copyright © 2018 Dash News All Rights Reserved | Blockchain Funded By Dash DAO Treasury Thanks For Supporting Us!

Blockchain is an amazing technology, but there are pros and cons to its mass adoption. Let’s have a look at both perspectives. Is blockchain tech an inevitable part of the future? What are the pros and cons for its implementation? Opinion Yes, that’s the question we are asking today. Is blockchain technology necessary? The answer is tricky. To arrive at the conclusion takes an unbiased perspective. Bankers and people in the stock market will tell you that it’s the epitome of evil. Blockchain engineers and enthusiasts will tell you it’s the future of the world. The government, as usual, will be indecisive. Both are overly eager in their opinions, and both are unfortunately wrong. Blockchain is wonderful and revolutionary, no doubt there. But it has some very serious cons that are underplayed by people supporting blockchain. It also has excellent pros underplayed by its critics. To the enthusiasts, I contextually Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park: To the critics, I contextually quote J.P. Getty (a terribly frugal person, in my opinion): We’re done with fancy quotes. Time to move on. Coming back to blockchain, the tech was created to make cryptocurrency easier to manage, and it is an excellent technology. To those who still do not understand what blockchain is, I’ll give you a simple example. A blockchain is a continuous line of data “blocks.” Think of a single block in blockchain as a digital Lego piece and the organization using it as a kid’s daycare place. The Lego piece is available for use to everyone for whatever they want to create. It is ever-present and ever-useful. It is accessible. The Lego piece can be attached to other Lego pieces to create masterpieces of art. A blockchain works similarly. Singularly, it’s just some encrypted data. Each data block together can create masterpieces of data available whenever a user wants. Just like Legos, that singular piece is hard to break, overpower or destroy. It’s a pain in the foot. You know, because they destroy you when you step on them. Okay! I’m done with the puns. They can be extremely useful. Combined with machine learning, blockchain can single-handedly make the entire banking industry obsolete. Blockchain can be used scientifically for complex mathematical calculations and help with complex problems in physics. It can help forward gene therapy. To be honest, blockchain can theoretically go full Star Wars. That brings me to the first con — never go full Star Wars. Didn’t work out well for anyone. I’ve seen some enthusiasts argue how blockchain is the “epitome of democracy.” It allows everyone access to the same data and it’s fair. To this, I have a single counterpoint: Imagine if Google made their servers public or your 401k balance was made public to the world. How would that affect things? Privacy and secrecy are important things. Most of all, keeping data out of other people’s hands is also necessary. You may not do much with it, but the greatest threat faced by the modern world is a lack of privacy. It’s already getting to a breaking point. People are long since annoyed by targeted marketing and Cambridge Analytica remains a huge example of how bad things can be. Facebook is almost constantly under fire and Google has followed right behind on a breadcrumb-scattered trail of lawsuits. Blockchain, unregulated, can make humanity’s struggle with deteriorating privacy even worse. Unregulated blockchain is a nightmarish scenario come true. However, how do you regulate blockchain? How do you put laws in place for a technology whose capabilities we barely understand? By the time we learn of its capabilities, it may be too late to affect change. Bankers hate blockchain. It’s obvious why they would; the greatest advantage of blockchain is that it cuts down on costs, only requiring infrastructure costs. No transaction fees, no maintenance charges, nothing. Effectively, blockchain makes banking obsolete, and honestly, I feel it should. The banking industry has remained unchanged over millennia. It is an integral part of society whose mismanaged monetary transactions have incited myriad wars. Unfortunately, the banking industry is in a pathetic state. Bankers have too much power, control and streams of revenue. It needs to topple. It’s a legacy system, and the pain points of this system haven’t changed since the days of Venetian merchants. There is so much abuse of power involved, and the fact that it is legal paints a grim picture. For example, the man who invented the credit card never wanted interest rates to go over 8%. Today, banks on average charge from 12% to 18% not including transaction, processing and various other fees. Blockchain can destroy and recreate this system. However, this brings us to the greatest chink in blockchain’s armor: This transformative process is expensive and decentralized. Hate it if you want, but a decentralized system is hard to control. Decentralizing banks means facilitating illegal activities like money laundering, illegal purchases and so on. It is never a good thing.  I have mentioned above that blockchain combined with machine learning is good at analysis. Just two words: Cambridge Analytica. Blockchain makes it easier for similar stuff to happen. What’s worse is you won’t be able to blame anyone. Blockchain’s data integrity makes it so that everyone is responsible. So, if one part of the network messes up, everyone is compromised. Similarly, stock market firms are using blockchain for insane investment schemes with unrealistic returns. This can lead to massive stock market crashes and overvaluation of stock to unprecedented levels. Unlimited access to data can also be a wonderful thing. Imagine that you want to know what your cereal contains. No more secrecy, the answer is right there in your data store. A simple search and you know. Supply chains, fair trade and ethical consumerism are attractive opportunities. Blockchain can create an online utopia if done right. The access to information is an interesting prospect. For example, imagine an app made with an app builder software backed by blockchain. The blockchain would help make it faster to create apps making the app development process easier for everyone to use. Widgets and plugins would be available in the form of the universally available data blocks. Adapting to new changes becomes easier. This can be similarly applied to any business process. There can potentially be block chains for everything. Blockchain can make you anonymous. Anonymity is the need of the hour. Imagine voting anonymously, with governments and candidates not knowing who’s voting who. It is a wonderful thing. Similarly, maintaining freedom of the press in sensitive areas becomes easier. Anonymity is what made the internet popular, and it is likely to take it ahead. So, if you ask again, “Is blockchain necessary?” — the answer is: “Yes. But with certain limitations.”  The coupling of blockchain and machine learning should be restricted. Yes, that limits its usability but sometimes taking a step back is a good thing, especially when it comes to data. After all, we don’t really have a good track record of managing data. An overhaul in the banking industry and a step toward ethical consumerism are all good things that blockchain brings for us. However, it would be better to take it slow. I do see that the slow and steady way is not happening, as rapid adoption is under progress. Rushing into blockchain doesn’t have a good end. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph. Abhinav Girdhar is the founder and CEO of Appy Pie. Abs has a cumulative experience of over 10 years in the world of technological development and entrepreneurship. His in-depth knowledge of mobile app development technology and his sharp observations offer valuable contributions to the blog. His areas of expertise are SEO, trends in the mobile app world, and the latest innovations in artificial intelligence and machine learning. He has a passion for fitness and likes to get his daily dose of endorphins from a run and a strenuous session in the gym.

Survey: Nearly Half of Millennial Traders Have More Faith in Crypto Than Stock MarketNearly half of millennial traders have more faith in cryptocurrency exchanges than they do in traditional ones. They are also enthusiastic about the prospect of traditional financial institutions offering crypto assets. Thats according to a new survey which shows a generational shift where millennials place their faith in the power of technology and open networks. Also read:Drug Dealer Fights to Prevent Canadian Police From Forfeiting his BTCThe Beginning of a Generational Shift The survey byU.S.-based investment platform Etorointerviewed 1,000 online traders. It found that 43 percent of millennial online traders trust crypto exchanges more than they do U.S. stock exchanges.93 percent of millennials surveyed also said that they would invest more money in crypto if it were offered by traditional financial institutions such as TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, orCharles Schwab. Even among millennials who dont trade crypto, one third said they would trust crypto over the stock market.Guy Hirsch, Managing Director of Etoro U.S. said:Were seeing the beginning of a generational shift in trust from traditional stock exchanges to crypto exchanges. At the heart of this change are the asset classes themselves. Younger investors experience with the stock market has seen a great deal of loss of trust, with the fall of Lehman Brothers because of irresponsible practices followed by the worst recession since the Great Depression.He added: Trust further eroded when Americans saw how hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayers money are funneled to the largest financial institutions while their savings evaporated and how banks get free money through quantitative easing while their cost of living continued to rise.The survey also showed that two thirds of millennial crypto traders say they have more faith in crypto as a whole than the stock market. Of millennials who dont trade crypto, one third said they would trust crypto over the stock market.In contrast, 77 percent of generation X respondents revealed they trust stock exchanges more.The Perfect Asset Class Etoros survey also showed that among investors across all age groups that dont trade crypto, 59 percent would invest more money in crypto if it were offered by a traditional financial institution. Current crypto traders would be more at ease investing in the asset class if it were offered by a traditional financial institution, with 92 percent admitting they would invest more money if a conventional financial institution provided this investing option. This shows that despite crypto enthusiasts and millennials distrusting traditional institutions, established companies with a global reputation could draw in younger investors were they to offer crypto assets.The survey looked at savings plans too. Half of online investors surveyed expressed interest in a crypto allocation in their401k plans. Of those that dont trade crypto, 45 percent expressed interest in having some of their 401k allocated to crypto assets, while 74 percent of crypto traders are interested in seeing the option from their401k provider.Hirsch added: While there is clearly a demand for crypto assets in401kportfolios, there are a number of regulatory and market changes that need to occur before it becomes a mainstream offering.Mati Greenspan, a senior market analyst at Etoro, told news.Bitcoin.com: Millennials tend to place their faith in the power of technology and more specifically the power of open networks. This is why crypto is the perfect asset class for our generation.What do you think about the results of the survey? Do you trust crypto exchanges over traditional ones? Let us know in the comments section below. Express yourself freely at Bitcoin.coms user forums. We dont censor on political grounds. Checkforum.Bitcoin.comalternative trading system, bitcoin trading, eToro, N-Finance, Online, Online Traders, Online Trading, stock exchange, Stock Market, Stock Markets, trading analysis

Giant social trading platform, eToro has released the results of its market survey - which shows that over 40% of “millennial online traders” appear to have “less faith” in the performance of the traditional stock market - when compared to the digital asset market.Significantly, 71% of millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) responding to eToro’s survey said they “would invest in crypto if it was offered by traditional financial institutions.” Other notable results from the trading firm’s poll included “half of online investors expressing interest in a crypto allocation in their 401k plans.” In the US, a 401(k) is a retirement savings plan that is “sponsored by an employer.” The plan “lets workers save and invest a piece of their paycheck before taxes are taken out.”As explained in eToro’s press release, the company’s “nationwide survey of 1,000 online traders” revealed that 77% of Generation X respondents (those born between early-to-mid 1960s and early 1980s) “trust stock exchanges more” than cryptoasset-related investments or other alternative/emerging markets.Commenting on the results of the survey, Guy Hirsch, eToro’s managing director, remarked:We're seeing the beginning of a generational shift in trust from traditional stock exchanges to crypto exchanges. At the heart of this change are the asset classes themselves. Younger investors' experience with the stock market has seen a great deal of loss of trust, with the fall of Lehman Brothers because of irresponsible practices followed by the worst recession since the Great Depression.Hirsch, a former director of innovation strategy at Samsung SDS, added that Americans also began to lose trust in the traditional financial system when they saw “their savings evaporate” - as banks received “free money through quantitative easing while their cost of living continued to rise.”Going on to express confidence in the “immutability” feature of blockchains, Hirsch explained that distributed ledger technology (DLT)-based systems allow firms to conduct “real-time auditing” in a “cost-effective” manner. According to Hirsch, this is “why millennial and generation x” believe digital asset exchanges are “less likely to be subject to manipulation and less likely to be a place where bad actors get rewarded with taxpayer money.”Other findings from eToro’s survey suggested that younger investors trusted crypto investments more than traditional stocks. Notably, eToro’s nationwide poll of US-based investors found that “even among millennials that [said they] don't trade crypto, one-third said they would trust crypto over the stock market.”Most, or 93%, of millennial crypto traders responding to eToro’s survey said “they would invest more money in [digital assets] if [they] were offered by traditional financial institutions such as TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, or Charles Schwab.” Approximately 70% of millennials participating in eToro’s poll that were not trading crypto said they would start if more institutions began providing the option to invest in digital assets.Nearly 60% of investors from all age groups that took part in eToro’s survey said “they would invest more money in crypto if it were offered by a traditional financial institution.”

Catch up with all the buzz in the world of crypto with BTC Wires. Here, we bring all the breaking stories, feature announcements, public statements and multinational plans of well-known industry investors. Explore more about how and where Blockchain Technology is making headlines! Away from the cryptocurrency, BTC Wires has got something for you out of this world of fascinating fancies and ideas. Let your queries be sorted out by some brilliant minds of Blockchain Ecosystem! BTC Wires has this syndicated interview column that has up-close and personal interviews of some of the game changers in the world of cryptocurrency. Know what they have in their sack for you. Navigating the crypto world is a daunting challenge owing to those confusing technical concepts, isn’t it? Lucky You! You are at BTC Wires. With an aim to keep you in touch with the current market trends of the crypto world, BTC Wires brings you the in-depth analysis of all the happenings so you can stand firm in this ecosystem. Just to help you understand this ever-evolving world of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Ecosystem, BTC Wires has the proper solutions for you with our set of evergreen articles. At BTC Wires, we love guiding passion-fuelled aspirants with the right amount of information so they can find effective ways to grow with the trend. Thus, we have come up with this Encyclopedia that covers all the aspects of Blockchain Ecosystems. At BTC Wires, we give you access to our exclusive collection of Press Releases which are periodically curated for the most influential ICOs in the market. With the quick value growth of some few digital currencies, there has been a deficit in other virtual currencies that people could trade for those big ones.These currencies go by the name of Initial Coin Offering (ICO) that firms trade for famous cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.To launch one’s own ICO and reach the trading level, marketing campaigns are the key. In addition to the ICO development firms, we bring forth the list of the best ICO marketing agencies of 2019 in the world.You May Also Read: Will Bitcoin Ever Reach Your 401K?Besides being just a marketing agency, Element Group represents itself as a digital token sales company too. Their services incorporate ICO marketing strategy, consultation, market research, asset management, etc. In its course, the company partnered with CNBC Africa, TradingView, Wunderdogs and Forklog.GuerrillaBuzz is taking ICO marketing to another level by creating and disruption relevant, valuable and consistent content for attracting as well as retaining a clearly defined audience. GuerrillaBuzz specializes in the next-gen of content marketing that has helped clients raise more than $100 Million.TSM Global has helped clients raise more than $300 million, and it is currently focusing on smart investors looking for high returns with security. TSM centres around Security Token Offerings and Discounted Service Offering. It is a truly global firm supporting clients by introducing investors from 4 continents.You May Also Read: Top Cryptocurrency Predictions For 2019Crynet offers a full advertising ICO campaign through various marketing methodologies. Clients cay choose what suits them the best among social media activity, video demos, mobile and web promotions, search ads, PR.Another company that isn’t inclusively dealing with marketing but the entire ICO advisory, advertising and investment process is Priority Token. It is ideal for investors not willing to risk too much with the newest technologies in FinTech.This firm concentrates solely on ICO sales, different from any other general advertising agency. They offer various packages covering marketing consultations, technology, legal matters, landing pages, marketing support, etc.ICOservice owns an influential publication site for blockchain, Blockchain News. Therefore, featuring their clients on the site is an effective campaign in itself. However, their marketing services include Events, Blog Features, Bounty Campaigns, YouTube Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Banner Marketing and Classic PR.For one of the particular sides to ICO marketing, including community promotion and management, Mazee acts like your best friend. Their services revolve around community management solely and exclusively helping get new clients and increase the ICO value for the clients.ICODA is the ICO Digital Agency that offers all the instruments for the best promoting of your venture. It’s a team of professionals who accompany your Initial Coin Offering at all stages.The advertising strategies of Applicature contain a plethora of options which proved to be highly efficient in ICO Marketing. Besides community management as well as social media marketing, those incorporate video creation, mass media, video promotion, webinars, meetups, traffic generation, etc.Kapil Gauhar is the founder of Blogger’s Gyan. He is a Passionate Blogger, a Big Thinker and a Creative Writer. His passion for doing friendship with words and letting people know about the wonders of the Digital World is what motivates him to take writing as a career.BTC Wires is an online digital media platform which provides information for the crypto and blockchain technology fraternity. As the demand for Cryptocurrency is riding high these days, it is our mandate to educate, inform and connect the readers and experts over the globe Read MoreCopyright © BTCWires 2018 Felisle Technologies Pvt Ltd

The Definitive Guide To BTC InvestingContentsSo, What Is Bitcoin?Interesting Facts about BitcoinHow to Invest in Bitcoin: Buying and Selling BitcoinSelling Your BitcoinsHow to Store Bitcoins in a Secure WalletOnline WalletsOffline WalletsWhen is the Right Time to Invest in Bitcoin?Investing Bitcoins in an IRA or 401KHeres how it works:What you need to know before Investing in BitcoinConclusionBitcoin has come a long way. Once upon a time, it was trading at only $0.10. On February 2011, the digital currency surpassed the historic milestone of $1, hitting record highs over the years to reach $19,000 in December 2107. You know what this means? Well, if you invested $1,000 in 2011 you would have been $19 million richer in 2017. Crazy money, right?2017 was the best year for bitcoin so far, with many people making a fortune from their investment. But hey, analysts believe that the party for bitcoin is just getting started, so its not too late to get your feet wet. If you are looking to invest in bitcoin this year, dont worry because we are going to guide you on how to invest in bitcoin and join the lucrative cryptocurrency market, along with some helpful tips to keep you going.But before we get to the investment tips, perhaps its best we start by learning a few things about bitcoin, what it entails and, of course, some facts about it. So, What Is Bitcoin?In simple words, Bitcoin is a fully decentralized digital currency that allows parties to transact without necessarily involving a third party. It was invented in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudo for an individual software developer or a group of people, whose whereabouts are not known even today. Bitcoin transactions between peers are direct and based on the blockchain technology. When a transaction is initiated, its broadcasted on the blockchain network and stored on a public ledger, which helps to ensure transparency and integrity of the digital currency.You might ask yourself, how are new bitcoins generated? You see, with fiat currency, a government makes the decision of printing and distributing its paper currency. Bitcoin isnt controlled by any government or central bank, so new bitcoins are generated through mining. This is a process through which transactions/blocks in a network are validated. Miners on the network contribute their computer power to solve complex algorithms and are rewarded withnew bitcoins.Mining bitcoins is costly as it involves expensive hardware and incredibly high electricity costs. During the first days of bitcoin, one could easily use their laptop or PC to mine the digital currency, but with time it has become more difficult, requiring a lot of energy and resources to mine. Considering everything involved, people no longer see bitcoin mining as a profitable venture, unless you intend to do it on a large scale, are based on a country where electricity cost is low, or have a huge budget to purchase and set up the hardware.Thanks tocryptostache.comfor this handy infographicInteresting Facts about BitcoinHere are some facts about Bitcoin that you need to know about:Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, which is perhaps why it still dominates the cryptocurrency sphereIts a payment solution just like PayPal or Payza but eliminates the huge fees associated with typical bank transfersBitcoin is limited to just 21 million coinsBitcoin transactions can be traced on the blockchain network as they are fully transparentThe digital currency is fully decentralized, meaning that its not controlled by any central authority like its the case with fiat currency. No government or central bank influence!How to Invest in Bitcoin: Buying and Selling BitcoinFirst things first you need to set up a wallet to store your bitcoins! There are different kinds of wallets out there, ranging from paper wallets to desktop wallets to hardware wallets, but being a beginner, its highly recommended that you start with an online wallet since its easier to use and access. Some of the common options include Blockchain.info and Mycelium wallet. For this case, however, we are going to take you through the Coinbase wallet, considering that its one of the most convenient options since it allows you to buy and sell bitcoin with your credit/card or bank transfer.Setting up an account with Coinbase couldnt be easier. Heres how to go about it:Step 1: Go to the Coinbase official website and click the tab written: Get Started.Step 2: Fill in the details as required. Write down your first names, an email address, and a password. Ensure that the password is strong enough and includes both letters and digits for security purposes.Step 3: Coinbase will send you an email containing a link for verification. Click on the link and make sure that you verify your account. You might be asked to fill in your phone number for 2FA verification, so ensure you use a working line.Your Coinbase wallet is all set up and ready to use. But hey, you dont have the bitcoins yet, do you? Its now time to purchase the digital currency through the same platform. Coinbase accepts Credit/debit cards and bank transfer when purchasing cryptocurrencies, and bank transfer and PayPal when selling the same. Assuming you intend to use credit card/debit card, which is one of the most popular payment options, heres the next step:Step 4: Navigate to the Account settings page and click on the Payment Methods tab. You will be given the three payment options we mentioned earlier, so you need to proceed and select the Credit/Debit card option.Step 5: You will be redirected to a page, where youll be required to enter your card information, which includes card name, card number, expiry date, CVC number, and zip code. A confirmation will appear which now lets you proceed with your purchase.Note: You will be asked to provide photo ID verification by uploading selfies of yourself holding the credit card. You need to remember that this payment option only allows you to purchase up to $250 worth of bitcoins daily.Step 6: When you hit the Buy Bitcoin tab, you will be taken to a page where you are to fill out information as to how many bitcoins you intend to buy, the payment method, and the wallet where the bitcoins will be deposited (choose My Wallet). Click Buy Bitcoin Instantly and viola you bitcoins will reflect in your wallet! Pretty easy, right?>> Dont have a Coinbase account yet? Sign up here

U.S. company announced intention to create a gold backed cryptocurrency that would be regulated as a security by the SEC by Ken Schortgen, Jr – The Daily Economist On Jan. 10, IEG Holdings Corporation announced they were negotiating the purchase of a gold project which would become the collateral for a new gold backed cryptocurrency. Intending to collaborate with a company called Investment Evolution Corporation, IEG will seek to use metals from their gold project to create a gold backed cryptocurrency that would then be regulated as a security with the SEC. IEG Holdings Corporation (“IEG Holdings”) (OTCQB: IEGH) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Investment Evolution Crypto, LLC (“Crypto”), is negotiating to purchase a gold project with gold metal in the ground and prospecting licenses. IEG Holdings plans to utilize a gold resource to investigate creating, through Crypto, and a joint venture with Investment Evolution Corporation, also a wholly owned subsidiary of IEG Holdings, its own gold metal-backed crypto/blockchain currency, and potentially offer loans and accept loan repayments in its own crypto/blockchain currency. Paul Mathieson, IEG Holdings’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Unlike Bitcoin, Ripple, Ethereum and Litecoin etc., IEGH’s crypto currency is planned to be backed by gold metal and registered with the SEC as a security. We believe potentially combining the exciting new blockchain technology with the hard asset of gold metal, expected SEC registration, a leading sophisticated online consumer finance system and individual US state lending licenses is a very exciting proposition. – Business Insider One of the obvious benefits of building a regulated gold backed cryptocurrency is that it opens the security up for investment by institutions, hedge funds, IRA’s, and 401K’s. Sharing is caring!FacebookTwitterGoogle+Pinterest

by Tyler Durden Tue, 08/22/2017 - 14:29 0 SHARES document.querySelector('.a2a_button_email').addEventListener('click', function(event) { // pfEmail from js/instaemail.js - MEA pfEmail.init(); event.preventDefault(); }); Authored by Eric Falkenstein via Falkenblog,For the pastcouple of centuriestechnology empowered the state, put more things under its control. They have ultimate custody of all your financial assets, and custody is nine-tenths of the law. You simply can't hold $1M in financial assets in a form where 'The Man' can grab it if he finds you an enemy of the state, which in many states includes righteous men.But like so many things the effect is not linear, in that now technology is putting power back in individuals. We can now take classes online, and be evaluated objectively via tests, making Universities less important. We no longer have a handful of news sources, but a spectrum that allows us to choose among vastly different interpretations of the same data. And we have digital currencies, which exploit cryptography innovations aligned with processing power to create ways of assigning credits more efficiently than fiat currency.The essence of money is not that it is backed by something intrinsically valuable we can hold. Once we severed its link to gold and silver, it still 'worked.' I would not have predicted that in 1900. Money works because people accept it, and the large network effects of everyone accepting it make it indispensable, because it avoids the 'double coincidence of wants.' Bitcoin was created by geeks who were incented to invest their technical skills into mining and developing the network, and as these highly productive people began to accumulate these assets, they appreciate its value. Since highly productive people appreciate these assets, they are valuable because they can be translated into purchasing the services of such people. Thus, initial coin offerings (ICOs) allow people to fund new businesses focused on blockchain technology because the same people creating these businesses are fine with getting paid in 'tokens', something that would be hard to convince for your average person.Long term, I see much wealth going off the fiat grid into cryptocurrencies, because as we've seen throughout history, governments eventually run out of other people's money, leaving only expropriation via inflation or outright takings (see 'Fragile by Design'). Anticipating this, getting your money into something the government can't seize is important, and cryptocurrencies allow you to do this. If a government tries to prohibit bitcoin, those with large bitcoin accounts will simply move to someplace that accepts it, like Singapore, and a country filled with those who appreciate and have a lot of bitcoin will tend to prosper. So unless the world governments can enforce a worldwide compact with over a hundred players, bitcoin will succeed, and I'm sure most smart countries will ultimately allow general digital currency use reluctantly, to avoid such a brain drain.While I love Bitcoin, Ethereum is better because it builds contracts into the same blockchain, which creates greater functionality. If you go to Reddit, you'll see more development in 'Go', a cutting edge software language, in Ethereum projects, and there are already more wikis on GitHub for Ethereum projects than Bitcoin projects, so I'm confident that Ethereum will surpass Bitcoin in market cap someday, especially once they move to proof-of-stake (sometime next year).Since 2014, one has been able to put Bitcoin into IRAs (see here), though IRAs are so highly regulated, finding how to do this is non-trivial. So I thought I would move some of my 401k into cyber currencies such as Ethereum (you can do BTC too, but I'll use ETH as the example). Most 401ks and IRAs do not allow you to do this directly, and BitcoinIRA charges 10% to set up a Bitcoin IRA. I don't blame them for charging this much, as it's difficult, and as there's an 80% premium to NAV with the Bitcoin Investment Trust (GBTC), investors are clearly willing to pay extra to avoid the complexities involved in directly owning them (eg, try to explain this to your parents).The problem is that no IRA custodian can translate USD into ETH the way they can move your USD into a mutual fund. You have set up an account at acybercurrencyexchange to do that, and most exchanges do not handle IRA transactions. The new regulatedbitcoinexchanges have very small staffs relative to the number of customers, and so have automated most of their support function. Thus, if you have a question ('how can I buy BTC for my IRA on your exchange?'), you'll get an auto-bot answer using an algorithm that finds the best fit your keywords. These are irrelevant to unorthodox questions, and follow up questions just lead to more pointlessautobotanswers.The humans, alas, are rarely better, basically doing the same thing with their meat-based neural nets by looking at their FAQs and copy and pasting answers from there. At Coinbase, if you follow up your question after not hearing anything for 3 days, they will assume you have changed your question, so it moves it to the back of their queue. Thus I had an issue where my question was never answered because every couple of days I would write, 'is anyone there?' which would put me back at the bottom of the queue, and my question was thus unanswered (and funds frozen) for 3 weeks.It took me a while to find the companies that allow this directly. It's not straightforward, however, as Kingdom Trust clearly stumbled into this capability, and they gave me a bunch of contradictory information, all standard confusion. I'm sure they and others will figure this all out eventually, but by the time it becomes easy to invest in digital currencies, the incentive will be a lot lower. So, be patient, it will happen, but just about every step takes at least a day.Here's how you set up a cybercurrency IRA:1) Go to Kingdom Trust, an IRA custodian based in Kentucky. Rollover your IRA/401k there, informing them you plan to hold ETH or BTC in your IRA.2) Set up an account at Genesis(not Gemini). You will need a clear picture of your driver's license you can email them, and a digital photo of a recent utility bill (w/in 3 months).3) Once approved at Genesis, you to open a BitGo account, as this exchange stores your initial wallet after the Genesis trade.4) Ask Kingdom Trust for an "Investment Directive For Digital Currency" form.5) Once you have this form, request a trade at Genesis, so that if you have $100K USD, ask them to buy as much as possible with that (it's called RFQ--request for quote--on the Genesis portal). You will get back a confirmation with the amount of USD paid for X units of ETH. You then 'accept' that on the Genesis site.6) You then immediately fill out the Kingdom Trust "Investment Directive" form, which includes wire instructions to send your IRA money to Genesis's bank account at Silvergate Bank (see here), and your trade terms from Genesis, which includes how many ETHs were bought and for what USD price. You will need to sign the Kingdom Trust Investment Directive digitally, so add the PDF plug-in that allows digital signatures. Do this early in the morning, as even then it takes a day for them to instantiate the wire.7) Kingdom Trust then gives you a wallet address from your BitGo account. You then go your Genesis portal and click on your earlier RFQ trade. Click on the blue box to the left of this, and under Buyer Actions put in the ETH address that Kingdom Trust gives you. Send your ETH to the BitGo wallet address Kingdom Trust gives you.For Bitcoin, this is ultimately put into a multi-sig wallet. For ethereum, they do not have this capability yetbut are working on it, so your money stays at an address at BitGo under Kingdom Trust's control. After that, Genesis is basically out of the picture.Fees: Genesis charges 1.5% for their service, which is implicit in the price paid relative to the market price. You have to pay Kingdom Trust $50 to open the account, $40 for the wire, and a $250 annual fee.

As many people begin learning about crypto currencies they are fearful that this is just bubble that will collapse. Like with any investment if you hold it long term you have to be aware that you could potentially lose it all. Now will the crypto currencies collapse completely? well I’m sure that the first investors years ago thought I’m not sure if want to pay $500 for bitcoin as it isn’t gaining in value very quickly. Well know now that if had the ability to buy it at 500 would have done it. honestly didn’t start researching crypto currencies until got an email from Timothy Sykes talking about free webinar. That free webinar was probably about weeks ago the beginning of November. listened and I started studying the crypto world. How on earth do you get into buying crypto currency? Which one do you invest in? How do you store it? The more delved into the world of crypto realized the more didn’t know. It reminds me of my first days of learning to day trade. But kept on studying. Soon quickly learned that there are many different site that you can buy bitcoins or ethereum or lite coin, but how much are you going to pay? The shot above is from tradingview.com and you can view crypto currency charts for free. When you type in BTCUSD you will see there is more than one chart because there are different exchanges where you can buy them.  In fact there is also BTCUSDT (Tether) and I’m not even 100% sure what that is just yet. Bottom line is if you are looking to buy crypto currencies make sure you are paying fair value for your investment and not getting taken with fees for mining them like stock brokerage firm takes commissions.  One that seems pretty fair to me is coinbase.com . After you decide where you are going to buy your currency, you need to determine where you are going to store it or them. From what have seen online there are numerous online “wallets” and some hard wallets. The best way can explain that would be like software for your computer to run versus the actual hard wallet that is tangible that you would be able to hold such as USB stick.  All of these methods have secure measures to protect your crypto currency or virtual currency.  From some stories have read about actual hard ware wallets and probably online ones too make sure to have duplicate of the security somewhere safe away from your wallet of choice. There was one story read online where an individual list $65,000 worth of crypto currency because they couldn’t remember their special password. It is definitely worth it to be ocd about it and keep secret copy somewhere safe. Now that you know where you can buy and how to keep it safe what are you going to buy? This comes back to whole bubble idea. It seems like this year the crypto world is just becoming known and hot. know that Bitcoin was around $6000 when first started learning and now it is well over $15000. In the past week we saw it go from $11000 to almost $18000.   So will this continue or burst…. My thoughts are that is it going to continue to gain in value as more people become knowledgeable about it and how to purchase cryptos. As fairly smart person it was bit difficult for me to figure out as there was no clear path to me about how to do it.  Back when was first reading Lite coin was $46 and today it broke $400. Well remember those people that bought Bitcoin at $500 and now it is over $15000. It is proof that as the demand increases so does the price. Have you known about cryptos for while and done nothing? am going to start out small and dollar cost average in maybe $100 month into different currencies and see how they grow for crypto currencies. In my 401k am also investing ins crypto related stocks.  There are quite few that have been hot lately. Some of them popped and then dropped. Here are list of them. GBTC COIN RIOT OSTK SSC MARA BITCF XNET GROW BTSC BTCS MGTI SRAX GAHC UBIA ARSC UTSC PRELF BLKCF CRCW COINB SPLY I did invest in of these in my 401k for long term growth. was actually nicely suprised to see that my investments in GBTC SPLY BTSC and BTCS gave me an unrealized gain of over $3,000 in today’s trading session alone.  The crypto boom is not only affecting the currencies but also related stocks. would definitely take the time to note the above stocks and see their highs and set alerts for breakouts. You could trade them for daytrading for some and longer term swing trades for others. I purchase my GBTC back at 981, BTSC avg entry of .10 BTCS avg at .115 and SPLY at 1.45.  So if you Leary of the crypto currencies yourself you can trade the related stocks that are still feeling the effects like an earthquake aftershock. Don’t worry if you are just learning about crypto currencies you have to start somewhere. knew nothing couple of weeks ago and immersed myself and shared with you what know so far. I’m only looking to expand on it and will share more as go and with the currencies that think might have potential in the long run as well. If you are interested in receiving my morning watchlist email sign up here to receive days free. It is affordable at $19.95 per month, which is roughly $1 per trading day. I love hearing feedback from you. It makes my trading more personal and like to hear how can help you. If you have questions or comments you can contact me here or on Profitly, Twitter (@jane_yul), Instagram (missairplanejane), LinkedIn and Facebook (@sugarairplanejane). carpeprofit@gmail.com or YouTube My book is available at Amazon FMJ Trust Transition Trade: How Successful Traders Said It, Did It, and Lived It . As well as  Barnes and Noble, Indigo, Chapters,and more. If you want signed copy please go to the book site The tool use for scanning and alerting is Trade Ideas who offer an always free trading room.  15% Off First Month or First Annual – Promo Code CARPETPROFIT15 Also Stocks To Trade that has 1 week $1 trial  For my charting and level I use Equityfeed. This blog is for information purposes. am not registered securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. The information here is not intended as securities brokerage, investment or as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any security or fund. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Designed using Hoot Ubix. Powered by

Bitcoin’s recent price plunge renews discussions about what’s needed to move its price higher.After Bitcoin’s price tanked over the weekend, dragging down the prices of other cryptos with it, there’s renewed talk about what could turn crypto bears into crypto bulls.Much of the crypto discussion piggybacks on previous talk about the catalysts that could move cryptos’ prices higher, especially Bitcoin’s.Over the weekend, Bitcoin’s price fell below $6,000 to around $5,900. While it quickly rebounded, trading higher about 24 hours after plunge, the crypto’s fall caused observers to start speculating over how the space is in need of something measurable to move the cryptos in it higher and become more stable.Let’s discuss some of thoughts being bandied about.For years, crypto observers have talked about a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund being key to propelling the crypto’s price higher. Many were enamored by the Winklevoss twins’ efforts to bring one online, but they were quickly disappointed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s “no way” response to their idea.Still, many won’t give up hope. This includes Ari Paul who co-founded BlockTower, a cryptocurrency hedge fund.If and when there is a Bitcoin ETF in the crypto world, Paul believes it could propel Bitcoin’s price to $35,000.Michael Strutton, the CEO at IronWood, seems to agree. He posted on Medium Sunday, his thoughts about what could move Bitcoin’s price higher. He wrote:Let me describe how “easy” it is. Once the Securities and Exchange Commission allows Bitcoin ETFs, anyone with a 401K, IRA, or an investment account, like with the following top five broker-dealers, could invest in Bitcoin with a simple click — no wire transfer or credit card fees, no explaining Coinbase, other crypto exchanges, and security hurdles.The top broker-dealers he listed are: Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Edward Jones, Ameriprise Financial and TD Ameritrade. Another catalyst that could drive Bitcoin’s price higher is the entry of more institutions who invest in the space. With the launch of Bitcoin futures contracts by the CBOE and CME Group, institutions are increasingly warming to the space.We reported to you earlier this month that the crypto market is no longer relegated to enthusiasts alone. Furthermore, with the massive profit potential on display, institutional investors have been open to entering crypto markets.Paul agrees, saying that the next BTC rally will likely be the result of more institutional investors getting in on the action, and he sees the pickup happening before the end of this year.Furthermore, Paul believes that once services like Coinbase Custody are up and running, institutional investors could be ready to enter.One of the biggest hurdles in attracting institutions relates to getting them comfortable with cryptos being a part of a legitimate asset class.A move by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which is the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, could help. We reported how it is launching a trading platform that would allow investors to purchase Bitcoin.The structure would entail swap contracts. These contracts would be settled with actual, “physical” Bitcoin placed in the customer’s account. That means that Bitcoin would be available at settlement, which could be as soon as the next day.In addition, this platform could address the issues over custodianship, which also concern institutional players.Paul noted this issue as being the last barrier preventing these players from investing in cryptos.“Institutional money started trickling into cryptocurrency in mid-2017, but it’s been slower than many expected. That doesn’t mean it’s not coming. There are a lot of pieces that need to come together, one big piece being third party custody. Custody isn’t binary. It’s not like Coinbase custody will launch and suddenly every pension will throw $100 million into BTC. It takes time for custody solutions to gain trustworthiness. But I think we’ll have solid third party custody by September of this year.”You're one step away from getting industry's latest news and updates. Please check your inbox/spam for a confirmation email and click on the link to confirm your subscription.

According to a cryptocurrency research group, the bitcoin price could increase to over $35,000 with the emergence of a bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), which isn’t that far away.Prominent investors including Ari Paul, the co-founder of BlockTower, a cryptocurrency hedge fund founded by former Goldman Sachs executive, have said that the next mid-term rally will likely be triggered by institutional investors potentially before the end of 2018.Paul said that the last barrier preventing institutional investors from entering the cryptocurrency market is the lack of trusted custodianship and a suite of institutional cryptocurrency products. Upon the completion of Coinbase’s custodian solutions and the approval of digital asset companies to operate as custodians, institutional investors may enter the cryptocurrency market.“Institutional money started trickling into cryptocurrency in mid 2017, but it’s been slower than many expected. That doesn’t mean it’s not coming. There are a lot of pieces that need to come together, one big piece being third party custody. Custody isn’t binary. It’s not like Coinbase custody will launch and suddenly every pension will throw $100 million into BTC. It takes time for custody solutions to gain trustworthiness. But, I think we’ll have solid third party custody by September of this year.”The entrance of institutional investors into the cryptocurrency market isn’t the only way major digital assets like bitcoin can increase massively in value. The emergence of publicly tradable instruments like ETFs could also fuel the next rally, and researchers at IronWood believe that ETFs will be the fuel of the next mid-term rally.Undoubtedly, the market is in amidst of a bad correction, in fact the third worst correction since 2014. The bitcoin price has fallen 65 percent from their all-time highs and retail investors have started to become more pessimistic in the short-term trend of the market.But, as it did in 2010, 2014, and 2016, the market is seeing an accumulation period, during which companies start to build products and infrastructures that are necessary to fuel the next rally.Michael Strutton, the CEO at IronWood, explained in a column that if an ETF is approved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), anyone with a 401k, IRA, or an investment account with brokers like Fidelity and Ameriprise Financial can easily invest in the bitcoin market. Strutton noted that the result of a bitcoin ETF could be the price of BTC rising to at least $26,000 and below $44,000. He said:“If ETFs add 24 million US investors and the upward momentum adds 14 million from the rest of the world, then that adds $84 billion and $336 billion, respectively, to the market cap. Over the past six months, Bitcoin’s market cap has swung from $326 to $110 billion. Adding $420 billion to the market cap could put Bitcoin price range from $26,000 to $44,000.”The Winklevoss twins, who currently oversee a major cryptocurrency exchange based in the US called Gemini, are working on their own exchange-traded fund (ETF) called Coin. SolidX, who had their ETF turned down by the SEC last year, has partnered with VanEck to increase its chances of being approved by the SEC.Eric Balchunas, an ETF analyst at Bloomberg, said that a collaboration with VanEck, an ETF manager that oversees 70 ETFs and $45 billion, could pay off and drastically increase the probability of a bitcoin ETF being approved by the US government.Blockchain platform for HR and educational servicesPlatform for the IT industry for project management and contractors searchInnovative Exchange on decentralized blockchain ecosystemPlatform for Сonnecting restaurant businesses of Blockchain technology.Fintech company that is building a base protocol to solve the payments challenges of todayThe first global blockchain-based platform for buying and renting luxe propertyBlockchain based Private Jet Charter & Luxury LifestyleNewsBTC is a news service that covers bitcoin news, technical analysis & forecasts for bitcoin and other altcoins. Here at NewsBTC, we are dedicated to enlightening people all around the world about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. We cover news related to bitcoin exchanges, bitcoin mining and price forecasts for various virtual currencies.Featuring live charts, price analysis, breaking news, currency converter and more. The only bitcoin app you need!We use cookies to give you the best online experience. By agreeing you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our cookie policy.