Cryptocurrencies swimming in the mainstream September 5, 2018 Spending and exchanging digital currencies are two of the biggest challenges enthusiasts face when building a crypto portfolio. While some high-profile retailers such as Subway, Microsoft and Expedia accept Bitcoin as payment, retailers that have adopted crypto represent a tiny fraction of the market. Limited payment options, complex processes and expensive exchange fees are typical [...]
Bitcoin will be niche asset for tech nerds in long term says ING bank analyst Teunis Brosens December 18, 2017 Bitcoin will retreat from its boom to become a niche asset, according to an analyst at a leading bank. As bitcoin closed in on $20,000 with the launch of bitcoin futures pushing the cryptocurrency higher, principle economist at ING Teunis Brosens warned that the current high valuations are “based on shaky foundations” in a research [...]
Bitcoin mining explained: How it works, how much energy it uses and what needs to be fixed December 7, 2017 All eyes are on bitcoin at the moment. The cryptocurrency has staged a meteoric rise in 2017 that has attracted new investors, but, for many, question marks still surround bitcoin and the technology behind it. With recent reports pointing to the high energy cost associated with mining, the process used to create bitcoin, is there [...]
Michelle Mone’s latest bitcoin gambit is EQUI, a venture capital firm to back tech startups with its own cryptocurrency initial coin offering (ICO) February 6, 2018 Fresh from offering luxury apartments in Dubai to buyers with bitcoin, bra tycoon and baroness Michelle Mone is delving deeper into cryptocurrency. Along with boyfriend and businessman Doug Barrowman, the pair are launching a venture capital firm supported by the launch of their own cryptocurrency via what’s known as an initial coin offering (ICO), or [...]
Bitcoin price (BTC) just smashed past $9,000 – another new record November 26, 2017 The rise and rise of bitcoin continues as the cryptocurrency smashed past the $9,000 mark on Sunday. Hacks, the tightening of regulation and the pausing of a potential split have failed to dent the stellar performance of bitcoin over the past several months. It hit a fresh record high of $9,043, according to CoinDesk, a [...]
Context and infrastructure essential for crypto’s coming of age November 28, 2018 Just like psychologists know that human behaviours are a blend of nature and nurture, institutional participants need to see the right infrastructure and context to participate in crypto at scale. The context is improving rapidly. Clear and stable regulation is the bedrock for institutional engagement. Rightly so as we all want to understand the rules [...]
Hackers jailed over £77m Talk Talk cyber attack that affected thousands of customers November 19, 2018 Two hackers have been jailed for their part in a £77m cyber attack on Talk Talk that compromised the financial details of thousands of customers. Matthew Hanley, 23, from Tamworth, was jailed at the Old Bailey this afternoon for 12 months after admitting charges relating to the data breach in 2015. Connor Allsopp, 21, also from [...]
Coutts warns of a bitcoin “gold rush” as cryptocurrencies rise October 13, 2017 The Queen’s bank has warned investors of a “gold rush” in cryptocurrencies as it said there were too many uncertainties for it to include bitcoin or other digital currencies in its investment strategy. More investors have started to take an interest in cryptocurrencies after bitcoin’s price broke through the $5,000 barrier yesterday and continued rising [...]
Beware Bitcoin’s bite – why crypto-currency futures might make a risky investment deadly December 13, 2017 Deutsche Bank has raised serious concerns about the risk posed to the global financial system by Bitcoin. It’s not the first to red flag the crypto-currency and warn investors that it is a potentially dangerous financial instrument to get involved with. Others have warned about the dangers of a Bitcoin bubble. European Central bankers have [...]
Bitcoin price: The cryptocurrency is trading above to $7,000 for the first time November 2, 2017 Just over 24 hours after it passed the $6,500 mark, bitcoin soared past another psychologically significant level this morning, rising above $7,000. The cryptocurrency hit $7,010 in mid-morning trading, up more almost four per cent, as it continued to climb following the announcement by US exchange operator CME Group that it will launch Bitcoin futures [...]