Platform currencies may soon be obsolete
Here is my claim. Within 5 years the biggest cryptocurrency by market cap will not be Ethereum or any other platform currency. Instead, it will be an application token.
A mark of one’s existence – records in the blockchain
Part of being a human is wanting to leave a mark on the world. Within us lies the deep need to be remembered, in some form, after we die. We see it in the Cueva de las Manos - Cave of the Hands, where the inhabitants left the outlines of their hands painted on the walls as early as 13'000 years ago.
Airbitz shines light on new blockchain solutions, including ShapeShift.io’s Prism
San Diego-based bitcoin wallet provider, Airbitz, and the San Diego Bitcoin meetup group recently hosted a number of speakers from blockchain startups. Among them was ShapeShift CFO, Justin, presenting the company's new smart contract-powered platform, Prism.
Ethereum difficulties send Ether tumbling
What used to be euphoria has fizzled into despair as the price of Ethereum (ETH) has taken a dive from a June high of US$400 down to US$240. Media outlets covering the crash allegated that it was due to “technical difficulties” that clogged the Ethereum network, causing significant delays in processing transactions.
Blockchain investments and the new problem asset for conventional VCs
As of Q1 2016, in excess of $1.1 billion in private capital has been invested in blockchain and Bitcoin startups by traditional venture capital firms and seed investors. But as decentralized applications and marketplaces continue on the road to maturity, there is a problem. VCs might be asking themselves — are we investing in the correct asset class?
An introduction to RChain
Bitcoin proved the viability of a decentralized, peer-to-peer digital currency. Ethereum demonstrated the demand for a world computer that can support decentralized applications, that is, applications that don’t rely on a central authority. However, widespread adoption of these platforms isn’t currently possible because they don’t yet scale.
Three Technical Requirements to Connect Blockchains Without a Token
Since I see a lot of downsides to having one large uber-blockchain connecting all others, I will focus on a token-LESS solution. This would have several advantages.
Tokenize the enterprise …And melt it into the community. Rinse, Repeat.
Tokens are the new “new” thing in the blockchain space. Just when everyone thought that blockchains were hot enough, everyone realized that tokens *are* the business model for Web 3.0.
Blockstream’s Bitcoin sidechain solution, Liquid, slated for launch in early 2018
Sidechains promise to help Bitcoin adapt to new demands and accommodate new innovation, according to the company behind the seminal sidechain whitepaper, Blockstream. Several different companies have been developing the idea since Blockstream introduced the concept in an October 2014.
Nevada protects Blockchains and Smart Contracts from Government taxes, licenses, and certifications
Nevada Senate Bill 398 was recently signed by the State Governor, and officially passed into law on Monday. The bill establishes various provisions relating to the use of blockchain technology, and makes the Silver State the third in the Union to recognize the nascent industry.
A discussion on responsible protocol token funding
At the recent NYC’s #consensus and #tokensummit, almost every other person I met start or end with a variation of the question: Do you have a token for sale? What token should I buy?
Wall Street Loves the Blockchain
While Wall Street is cautious on Bitcoin, it has gone all in on blockchain. But real-world implementation of distributed ledgers in the financial system, mostly in experimental fashion, has been underwhelming.
Inside the fundraising model that’s about to open up a $1 Billion market to blockchain startups
In the blockchain space this summer, three white hot letters are buzzing on everybody’s lips: ICO, or Initial Coin Offering. Droves of blockchain developers are scrambling to put together white papers to architect the next big solution since Bitcoin.
Lightning Network adoption ushers in a new era of cryptocurrency functionality
On May 10 Segregated Witness (Segwit) was activated on Litecoin, allowing Lightning Network (Lightning) transactions from various software clients to settle on the cryptocurrency network.
Intel and PokitDok securing blockchains with Software Guard Extensions
A new blockchain-based platform is being developed by technology giant Intel and healthcare API service provider PokitDok. The platform promises to advance blockchain technology by processing transaction requests securely using Intel SGX.
Coinify and Countr partnership brings blockchain payments to 3,000 merchants
Dutch point of sale (POS) software provider Countr recently announced a strategic partnership with European Bitcoin payment provider Conify. The partnership allows Countr to offer a wider variety of alternative payments, including Bitcoin and 13 other cryptocurrencies, for more than 3,000 retailers.
