Bitcoin: mouth-watering investment prospect or eye-watering valuation? June 21, 2017 For a system of currency to be worth anything, people need to believe in it – and at present there is no shortage of belief in so-called ‘cryptocurrencies’. Bitcoin may be the one most people will have heard of but there are now around 100 cryptocurrencies in existence and, earlier this month, their combined worth [...]
Google follows Facebook clamping down on cryptocurrency ads March 14, 2018 Google is to follow Facebook and take action against cryptocurrency ads in a crackdown on “unregulated or speculative financial products”. The move follows an earlier decision by Facebook which banned such ads in January after finding that too many of its customers were being misled by cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. In a blog post published [...]
A London art gallery will soon accept bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment June 29, 2017 In a UK first, a London art gallery will soon accept bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as payment for works of art. Dadiani Fine Art, a gallery in Mayfair, will take any of the six leading digital currencies, including bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin and others. “We are combining old world business ethics and practice with the new [...]
Among the uncertainty, crypotocurrency derivatives should still be treated seriously by investment professionals February 13, 2018 Last year saw a major change in the way that news outlets covered bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Though cryptocurrencies have generated outrageous headlines in the years since their initial introduction, 2017 marked a milestone in their transition from fringe investment to alternative asset. Bitcoin derivatives, which would make the investment accessible to a broader pool [...]
Should you care how much cash you have in your pension? August 14, 2018 In the past you got a job, worked for a company and when you retired your employer gave you a pension. You had very little say over your pension arrangements, let alone any influence as to how or where it was invested. That has all changed and now, as never before, millions of people all [...]
Can Publica Disrupt the Disruptor-in-Chief? August 21, 2018 Blockchain and ICOs are not just for payments, but hold promise to revolutionise a wide range of industries – from music and wine to logistics. Amazon famously disrupted publishing – but will blockchain disrupt the disruptors? As most authors will tell you, not only is it near impossible to make any money at it, but [...]
As the bitcoin rally continues, are we witnessing a bubble? May 15, 2017 Dr Garrick Hileman, research fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Judge Business School, says Yes. It’s unclear whether the recent ransomware attacks and stories of preemptive bitcoin stockpiling have had a significant impact on its price, which has more than tripled over the past twelve months. Regardless, is it true we are witnessing [...]
The future of cryptocurrencies September 4, 2018 The past two years has been somewhat of a nervy time for cryptocurrency investors. There will have been periods of jubilation for some, and there will inevitably have been moments of despair for others. The price of bitcoin alone went from approximately $1,000, to $20,000 at the end of last year, before falling spectacularly in [...]
Cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck has been snapped up by Japan’s Monex for £24m April 6, 2018 Japanese financial services firm Monex Group today announced it will buy the troubled cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck for ¥3.6bn (£24m). Coincheck, which Monex called a “pioneer” among cryptocurrency exchanges, suffered a $534m (£382m) hack in January. Monex confirmed earlier this week it was interested in making a bid for the exchange, but it said it has [...]
Cryptocurrencies are easy to dismiss as a bubble financial technology but are they in fact able to change the global economic landscape? April 10, 2018 Cryptocurrencies are unique instruments in the investing world. They share many characteristics of traditional currencies but can also serve as platforms for more sophisticated financial products. Judging by their price history alone, cryptocurrencies are easy to dismiss as a bubble. And, indeed, the crypto space is filled with questionable offerings. However, a discerning look reveals [...]