ShapeShift volumes surge as demand for Ethereum explodes
Erik Voorhees launched [ShapeShift](https://shapeshift.io/) in March of 2015, and secured over [US$2 million in venture capital funding](https://shapeshift.io/site/blog/2015/12/31/shapeshift-year-review-looking-back-2015) from prominent digital currency firms and investors including Roger Ver, Digital Currency Group and leading bitcoin exchange BitFinex.
Korbit launches Hyphen to provide cross-border payouts powered by blockchain tech
South Korea’s first bitcoin exchange and blockchain remittance provider is expanding into a more robust role offering APIs to other companies at very low fees.
Anthony Di Iorio starts new role as Chief Digital Officer of the Toronto Stock Exchange
Ethereum co-founder Anthony Di Iorio brings visibility to bitcoin and the blockchain within Canadian finance markets as he starts his new position on the Toronto Stock Exchange as Chief Digital Officer.
CFTC appoints LedgerX CEO to their Technology Advisory Committee
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has recently been expanding its role into digital commodities. The latest member of the CFTC Technology Advisory Committee is Paul L. Chou.
Coin.mx owner charged with orchestrating ‘cybercriminal enterprise’
The owner of Coin.mx, Gery Shalon, has been charged with a stack full of cyber crimes, including hacking into major financial corporations such as JP Morgan, E*Trade, Scottrade and Fidelity. The JP Morgan hack was the largest single theft of customer data from a US financial institution in history.
Patrick Byrnes Battle With Stock Market Manipulation Continues
[TØ](https://www.t0.com/) is a new blockchain platform built to enable cryptographically secure markets, that can be used for real-time [short sales](http://www.investopedia.com/university/shortselling/shortselling1.asp), in full compliance with SEC regulations. The subsidiary of [Overstock](http://www.overstock.com/) recently completed a [production beta short sale](http://investors.overstock.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=131091&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2097753), secured by the Bitcoin blockchain.
New York Bitcoin Industry Recovering After BitLicence Fallout
itBit received it’s Trust Charter in May this year, which made the company the first Bitcoin Exchange to operate as a Trust Company in New York State. On Thursday, the Winklevoss twins launched their exchange, having also received regulatory approval.
Iran’s First Bitcoin Exchange Launching
BTXCapital has announced the launch of Iran’s first Bitcoin exchange, a country historically sanctioned by western countries leading to fewer payment providers.
How Bitcoin ETFs are Opening Markets
Bitcoin-backed Exchange Traded Funds are on the rise internationally. While US residents await approval of the first SEC approved fund, other jurisdictions are moving forward.
Bitcoin Exchange Harborly Shuts Down Due To Shrinking Market Opportunity
The North American bitcoin exchange recently announce that it will be shutting down its operations, and its founders will pursue different opportunities. The news comes just months after the angel funded exchange announced the launch of its services.
Institutional Bitcoin Exchange Gemini Prepares for Launch
The Winklevoss twins, best known for their dispute with Mark Zuckerberg over the idea for Facebook, will open their institutional bitcoin exchange ‘quite soon,’ according to a recent email.
Coinify Becomes Leading European Bitcoin Payment Firm
Bitcoin merchant network Coinify has acquired payment processor Coinzone, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition makes Coinify one of the leading bitcoin merchant firms in Europe, one of the strongest regions for digital currency adoption.
BitFlyer Raises $4m In Funding
Japanese bitcoin exchange bitFlyer raises ¥510,000,000 ($4M USD), from investors including the venture capital arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc, the second largest publicly traded Japanese company.
Mass Exodus of Bitcoin Exchanges from New York State Triggered by BitLicense Deadline
At least ten bitcoin exchanges, including the exchanges with the highest volumes of USD and EUR trading, are pulling out of New York State as the Bitlicense deadline arrives.
Bitcoin Exchange Coinsetter Launches Margin Trading, and Shorting
North American bitcoin exchange Coinsetter has become the first US startup to offer leveraged bitcoin trading.
Bitcoin Exchange Kraken Expands To Canada With the United States Next
The European bitcoin exchange has announced that it is operating its real-time exchange in Canada. The move is part of a larger expansion to North America, where it is headquartered, but has not operated in due to regulatory complications.
