Hmm. Positive publicity for Bitcoin. I'm not seeing a downside here. Branson is good at drawing focus and publicity on interesting things. Looks like that's what he's doing here. Gates, Branson, Lucy et-all... it's all good.

It's called a QR code dude.

I use one that's essentially pre-paid, so it fixes the price when I load it. I kind of like that in some ways, as if BTC to USD shoots up, I make a kind of profit. But I'd also like a card that exactly uses Bitcoin like you mention.

When you deposit BTC is it the 1:1 price, or do they shave a percentage off?

Well I wish it would hurry up and do so with VTC Vert Coin, as I got left with the bag at $0.32 and now it's still 'playing' around 0.07.

As to the OP's question, I still like the potential valuation of $30,000 - $60,000 per 1 BTC, so I also think the figure of 10,000 is kind of low in the long term. Can't remember the news item where that figure was speculated, but it wasn't just a random one.

Another currency is due to replace the USD as the global reserve currency. China has been angling for it with the Yuan for some time now. Politically, it just depends on who greases the right palms of the right people.

Doubt it will be Bitcoin though. Wish it would be, but I just doubt it. I think Bitcoin will become the true money of the people though, then let the governments play their games with their monopoly money themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZmlUV8muY

This. Less people holding and using it, equals less money needed to manipulate its price. It's done all the time on alt coins, just depends on the market cap. The higher the market cap, the harder it is to manipulate the price directly. This is why Litecoin had a large spike a short while back.

I knew about Bitcoin back in 2013 when it was worth about $12. I couldn't find anywhere to buy it at that time, or whatever places there were I (for whatever reason) still couldn't buy them.

I downloaded the Bitcoin core, then gave up on that when firing it up the fan in my little lap top went so fast I thought the PC was going to take off like a helicopter. Fast forward a couple of years where I more or less forgot all about Bitcoin and it's now worth... what $287.00 today?

There was also something wrong about my decision with Bitcoin   It was not getting in sooner.

I will say though, I don't think the hold forever tactic works. I think hold for some time does.

Getting pick-pocketed and headbutted is part of the silver package. If you wish to upgrade from the bronze package, then I'm sure we can accommodate you. Our gold package will leave you drunk and toothless and sleeping rough for a couple of nights, with the added bonus that we'll let you think you've really lost everything, giving you the full authentic experience.

Understandably, the gold package costs more at 20BTC. No refunds... because no one gives you a refund for being born into a crap life on the streets.

You can't be serious.

Here is a summary of what you wish to be changed as you believe the statements to be untrue (from your highlighted section of the bitcoin.org site):

'Instant peer to peer transactions'

Bitcoin has instant peer to peer transactions. That's what it does. Confirmation frequently takes a matter of seconds. If you want true 'instant', then I suggest you invent the quantum computer that will also be able to anticipate your desire to send money before you yourself even know it.

'Worldwide payments'

Do I really need to argue this point? I sent some coin ten thousand odd miles just yesterday.

'Zero or low processing fees'

It has (if you choose for it to be so) and it does... although the figure in your head might be different, but I think everyone is well aware that was in meant is 'in comparison to banks/paypal/credit cards' etc.

After having just read the aforementioned alleged bullshit from the link provided, I must concur and agree - uncharacteristically for me - with your request that the OP fucks off with his bullshit.



 

Or people can get behind the companies that spend money developing the Bitcoin community and actually innovate now. I have GEMZ and will keep them for some time, and have also downloaded the getgems app.

To the person who asked where to get GEMZ, I'd suggest the counterparty.io platform. I'm guessing the GEMZ will be more expensive on other exchanges. I'm not 100% sure about this as trying to always convert XCP/BTC/USD in my head all the time hurts.

Bit late in posting this, but received payment on the 21st! Thanks! (didn't see the pm)

I don't know why this idea should be restricted to just domains. What the Bitcoin world needs is a hands off escrow service where party A puts their offer in, party B agrees to pay the price (or not) and then it's done. BTC is then transferred. The promotion would be done elsewhere and people would just use the platform purely for the sales.

No bells or whistles, no technical jargon, just a simple A+B=C interface.

Ya, I saw a static Paypal ad just now that said something like 'the future of money', and had a pic of a couple hipster types beside a camper van. I think paypal is going to have a difficult time rebranding themselves from the misery account blockers and overchargers that we all know they are, to a sparkly new financial solution to internet money that'll mean we don't need Bitcoin.

It's really stretching to call paypal the future of money, seems paypal is worrying about crypto currencies and the innovations developing around them. Think they'd have better luck lowering fees instead of blowing money on ads. Try giving some money back to the customer for a change.

Adopt or die Paypal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7edeOEuXdMU

Ya, I second the coindesk suggestion http://www.coindesk.com/news/

Interest in the Bitcoin blockchain is always good for Bitcoin. They are one of the same, after all. I can't see all the developments happening and Bitcoin not gaining in value over time. Companies will have to encourage bitcoin use/development and spending otherwise whatever they build onto the blockchain will cease to function.

As for building their own blockchains, there's no incentive as valuable as the Bitcoin blockchain as a distributed ledger. Bitcoin is the blood and oxygen of the blockchain, there's no reason for it to exist without it.

So, I wouldn't worry. Blockchain = Bitcoin, no matter they like it or not.

I think Canada is on the right track: http://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/news/canada-senate-study-bitcoin-regulation-should-be-almost-a-hands-off

“This technology requires a light regulatory touch – almost a hands off approach. In other words, not necessarily regulation, but regulation as necessary,”

Here's a list where Bitcoin is "legal" - air-quotes due to the fact that it not being illegal doesn't mean it's easy to navigate the establishment, take the U.K banks for example.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_bitcoin_by_country

Well, if they want to pay for it, then everyone's happy I guess. I wonder who provides the 'uniform' for the billionaire though. He can't pan handle in his tailor made suit. Needs to be authentic, grease stains and the smell of rancid alcohol, the whole nine yards.

This is an excellent point. Although it has to be said, it couldn't hurt the public perception/price of Bitcoin if some country did adopt it.

Have to agree with everyone who says it's unlikely to be accepted as a national currency. The people having debt speeds up the economy, inflation leads to people with less value in the money that they do have, and encourages them to spend it (or work more generating more tax for the state) rather than save it - again, speeding up the economy.

All of these things are more benefit to the state rather than the people. Which wouldn't be so bad if we could actually trust them and be sure they did sensible things with our money and national currency.

Control the money, control the people.

Bitcoin is backwards to the above, it's like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. They don't go together. Bitcoin is a good thing for individuals who wish to retain value in their currency/asset, but terrible news for bank monopolies/governments.

There are only two ways to attempt to control Bitcoin.

1. Alter the public perception of Bitcoin to something very negative and keep it that way to try to prevent mass-adoption for as long as possible, at the very least, marginalize it. The biased media is doing this pretty much everyday now. There is a poster on this site who also has some shill accounts who always posts negative titled inflammatory threads. All those thread titles show up on Google searches when now/future people search for anything 'Bitcoin'.

2. Control the end points/buy points. A leaked paper already alluded to this development. It pointed to the fact there would, in effect, be two kinds of Bitcoin, transactions that had already been connected to an ID and can be tracked, and the underside of Bitcoin outside of the system that could never be controlled.

The above two points are already being implemented on a daily basis.

Edit/add: 3. Some form of attack, spam transactions/51% attack. A large group of miners deciding to not accept transactions to the degree, and over a period of time, that they seriously make everyone question the Bitcoin protocol's practicality.


Having said all of that, I could see Canada perhaps going for it one day. It would take major restructuring though.

Good article about banks/Bitcoin here: http://www.coindesk.com/research-banks-unprepared-for-digital-disruption/

For banking you might want to look at Lloyds as they've already set out the way Bitcoin can be insured, so their banking department might be more up on accepting existing structures. Not necessarily, but it may be worth a look.