There are a lot of opinions on what Bitcoin means for the future. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan says that Bitcoin is a bubble with no intrinsic currency value. But a recent poll of current bitcoin owners reveals that a majority believe 1 BTC will be worth $10,000 by the end of 2014. The Winklevoss Twins, famous for their disputed role in the creation of Facebook, believe that 1 BTC will soon be worth USD $40,000, but ‘it could be much larger’ (and they’re not kidding around: they recently bought 1% of all bitcoins in existence for USD $11M). And prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist Chris Dixon recently stated that he believes that 1 BTC will eventually be worth USD $11,000,000. But what everyone agrees on is that Bitcoin is a truly astonishingly clever invention without precedent. Whether bitcoins are eventually worth a great deal, or they lose all their value and are merely a prelude to another form of digital currency remains to be seen. There is certainly still risk here, and a lot of things still have to play out before Bitcoin reaches its full potential. I don’t want to paint a rosy picture of 100% certainty — and not call out the risk factors. They are there, and they are real

Here is how to get started with Changelly:
1.   Go to Changelly site
2.   Select both Currencies – BTC & ETH (as shown in image below with XRP – change the XRP in the dropdown to ETH).
3.   Click Exchange and you will get the details of the transaction on the next page.
4.   After that you will need to create an account using email address. This is a good thing because it will allow you to login to your Changelly account in future and check your exchange history on Changelly.
5.   Click on next. Enter your Ethereum wallet address where you want to receive the converted Ether. If you do not have one, you can check the list of most popular and trusted Ethereum wallet here.
6.   Click on next. You will see the details of the conversion you are making on this page. Before clicking on ‘Confirm & Make Payment‘, recheck all the details carefully.
7.   Now you will see the QR code and the Bitcoin Wallet address in which you need to send the BTC to convert it into ETH. You can close the tab after sending the payment, because you will get email notification when everything is done.
8.   Once you send BTC, you will receive ETH in your wallet address. That’s why it’s very important to enter the correct wallet address. Otherwise, you might risk your moneY.

With regard to the intensive and intrinsic research over the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto's I don't think it could provide enough evidence to prove someone is from North America. It can be an intentional change to hide the actual identity. I feel it is all the more important for us to study the effects of Bitcoin on human society and find out remedies to help reorganize the structure of the virtual currency to benefit the human society as a whole.

With the experience that I have gained I feel that the improvement in domestic payment methods and the rapid development of alternative (non-cryptocurrency) forms of international transfers has reduced bitcoin’s advantage in this area, especially given its increasing fees and frequent network bottlenecks. Again, In some parts of the world, bitcoin is still a more efficient and cheaper way to transfer money across borders, and several remittance startups make use of this feature. Bitcoin’s cost and speed advantages, though, are being eroded as traditional channels improve (and the network’s fees continue to increase), and liquidity remains a problem in many countries. Also, a number of large and small retailers accept the cryptocurrency as a form of payment, although reports suggest that demand for this function is not high. And many individuals feel more comfortable holding a part of their wealth in securely-stored bitcoin, where a central authority cannot block access or take a cut.
Recently bitcoin seems to have assumed the role of investment asset, as traders, institutional investors and small savers have woken up to the potential gains from price appreciation.

According to the latest report Trumph administration was concerned that Satoshi was an agent of Russia or China — that Bitcoin might be weaponized against us in the future. Knowing the source would help the administration understand their motives. However, detailed research doesn't really prove anything..it's a directionless and never-ending debate. I don't understand why people are after his identity instead of enjoying the power of bitcoin. It's pointless. As far as I can tell Satoshi hasn’t violated any laws and I have no idea if the NSA determined he was an agent of Russia or China or just a Japanese crypto hacker.

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been making news for its seemingly unstoppable rise in the stock market this year. It has gone from being priced at less than $1000 per coin at the start of the year to currently passing $17,000 per one bitcoin. It also seems to not be slowing down any time soon, with analysts predicting the stock price to rise as high as $20,000 in the short term.As more bitcoins are mined, the process of their creation becomes more complex, requiring more difficult problems and more computing muscle. It is estimated that each transaction of bitcoin needs as much energy as used up by 9 homes in the U.S. during one day.Of course, such naysaying has not stopped the frenzy and people are investing into Bitcoin in droves. So if you are prepared for a ride, you may want to go for it.

Crypto hacking and cyber theft are a rising threat for the users of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency were stolen last week when 660,000 BlackWallet accounts fell victim to an unexpected cyber attack. The hackers behind the theft got away with approximately $400,000 worth of Stellar Lumen (XLM) coins after they took control of BlackWallet’s servers. In December, Seoul-based Youbit exchange in South Korea, filed for bankruptcy after a vicious cyber attack stole a fifth of its clients crypto holdings. With these cryptocurrency attacks in mind, it would seem as though it may be difficult to keep your bitcoin safe. But BadBitcoin, a self-appointed group of crypto enthusiasts exposing bitcoin scams and fraudulent exchanges, argue that keeping your bitcoin safe is actually “very, very easy”. Bad Bitcoin's project leader ViK, who asked for anonymity to due to concern for his safety, has shared some of his top tips with Express.co.uk. The first step is to secure a bitcoin wallet, whether it is a physical hardware device or an online one. This serves as your de facto bitcoin bank account and us your first line of defence.

Three justices of The Indian Supreme Court issued a notice to the central bank, the market regulator, the tax department, and several other agencies, asking them to answer a petition on the matter, the Hindu, an Indian newspaper. The original petition to the court expressed concern that bitcoin can be used to conduct transactions across borders without a trace, making it an attractive tool for ransomware attackers and tax cheats. According to the petition: "The lack of any concrete [control] mechanism pending the regulatory framework in said regard has left a lot of vacuum and which has resulted in total unaccountability and unregulated Bitcoin (crypto money) trading and transactions." As a result of its adoption, bitcoin usage may affect "the market value of other commodities," according to the petition, which pleaded with the court for an "urgent direction" for the government to intervene. The petition noted that some countries are beginning to either regulate or ban bitcoin, citing China's crackdown on exchanges and Russia's attempts to block bitcoin web sites.

India has typically adopted a "wait-and-see" stance on crypto currencies, discussing their role in the world's largest democracy but not taking concrete steps to regulate or prohibit them.

Taxation on bitcoins will be applicable depending on how you treat income from bitcoins, based on the frequency of transaction. If the gains from bitcoins is arising due to trading, it will be treated as business income. In case the gains arise due to increase in prices while you hold it as an investment, the gains will be treated as income from other sources. Suppose you buy and sell bitcoins regularly, then the gains from the sale of bitcoins will be business income and the loss would be business loss. In case you hold a bitcoin for longer duration and then sell it, the profit will attract capital gains tax. Bitcoins will be treated as capital assets if you buy for investment purposes. This means if you hold bitcoins for not more than 36 months, the gains arising from it will be considered short-term capital assets. In case of short-term capital gains, the gains from sale of bitcoins would be taxable at your applicable slab rates plus surcharge and education cess. If you make gains after holding bitcoins for more than 36 months, then long-term capital gain will be applicable—you will be taxed at 20% plus applicable surcharge and education cess, with the benefit of indexation.

Even though bitcoins are not mentioned in the income tax Act, you still have to pay taxes. As of now, there is not enough clarity on bitcoins in terms of regulation. So, it would be advisable to seek professional help while filing your returns in case of any gains from bitcoins.

The South Korean Minister of Strategy and Finance has met with the governor of the People’s Bank of China to discuss and share economic policies including cryptocurrency countermeasures. While China has imposed strict regulations on cryptocurrency trading, including closing down domestic crypto exchanges, South Korea has adopted a less strict approach with successively releasing countermeasures for cryptocurrencies. However, closing down crypto exchanges has been avoided so far. At the National Assembly Planning and Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, Kim pointed out that there may be a problem of underground transactions and foreign currency leakage if exchanges are closed. Cryptocurrency exchanges are not financial entities in Korea; they fall under the e-commerce law. In contrast, Kim noted that, in Japan, they are managed by registration with the country’s financial authority. South Korea re-iterated that Cryptocurrency exchanges are not financial entities in Korea; they fall under the e-commerce law. In contrast, Kim noted that, in Japan, they are managed by registration with the country’s financial authority.

Very rightly said - Confusion reigns in India’s cryptocurrency ecosystem. The Narendra Modi government and India’s central bank have made it amply clear they aren’t comfortable with virtual currencies. The recent spike in bitcoin’s value, which attracted hordes of investors, has only made the government more vociferous in its criticism. However, these announcements don’t make these virtual currencies, or trading in them, against the law. So, their status is in a curious limbo—they’re neither legal nor illegal in India. So, if you invest in Bitcoin you fall in a “No man’s land”. According to the experts ““Not being legal tender is not the same as it being illegal,” explained Rishabh Sinha, a counsel at law firm TRA. “The difference is that if it’s a legal tender that means it is recognised in the country as a currency and can be freely accepted for payments and settlements. On the other hand, if it is not a legal tender that means that it may not be accepted for making a financial transaction. For instance, gold or a share certificate. These are not legal tenders but some people may accept it as they see value in it.” Currently, there are no regulations on these virtual currencies. So, by emphasising that they are not legal, but without declaring them illegal, the government has put them in the grey zone.

The drop directly correlates to the announcement from the developers that the fork is no longer going ahead. The reason why people are selling is because a lot of investors have put their money into BTC to receive their proportionate amount of the new coin that is created after the fork occurred. Now the fork is cancelled, they are re-investing in altcoins. Recently, Bitcoin touched the highest price mark. Many people sold their accumulated Bitcoin is order to cash the profit, resulted in more Bitcoins in the market. As Supply increases but demand remains same, hence price went down. Bitcoin is the future of the internet. You don’t have to buy 1 BTC to start investing in Bitcoin, you can buy Bitcoin with as little as $1. Bitcoin is and will be the king for at least next 4,5 years. Keep calm and trust Bitcoin

Bitcoin prices are suffering this morning, following a record spike to over $17,000 overnight. Since then, however, bitcoin has taken a sharp downturn and was last trading at $14,794 levels at time of writing – a drop of close to $2,500 since yesterday's high. At this juncture we need to try to take the alternate SIP route. It is a real world investment technique which average out the buying price of an asset and lowers the risk. Try buying a certain amount of bitcoin at a certain interval. It will average out your buying price and you will have higher profitability when the market goes up. The price chart analysis also indicates that the odds of a technical correction have increased over the last 24 hours. It is safer to research and try out similar ways to reduce the risk of investment in Bitcoin.

Yes, according t0 me, it is part of the globalization with cryptocurrency and hope it won’t be the last step of globalization. Last month, global leaders in business, government, media, and technology made their annual pilgrimage to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum’s annual event. The tranquil mountains surrounding the city stood in sharp contrast to the swirling populist storm that is now transforming geopolitics.  Growth helps you get started without any hassles. Start with small amounts and withdraw anytime. The decentralized blockchain empower individuals and local communities, creates opportunities and enables connection across borders without requiring users to sacrifice individual autonomy or privacy. Individuals can own their own identities and personal data, do transactions, and create and exchange value peer-to-peer. If the blockchain becomes more widely used, billions of marginalized people will have a better chance of entering the global economy through financial inclusion and the strengthening of property rights.

It appears to be the end of the road for crypto currencies in India. Bitcoin is not something that will stop. It will flourish with or without government’s support. After de-monetisation, old notes were being traded at 80% of their value. Value comes from the perception and if people find value in Bitcoins, people will trade in Bitcoins. Finance minster, in his budget speech today (Feb. 01), stated that the government will do everything to discontinue the use of bitcoin and other virtual currencies in India. He reiterated that India does not recognize them as legal tender and will instead encourage blockchain technology in payment systems. However, as stated before Bitcoin will continue to flourish with or without government’s support.

Yes of course it will regain as major crashes happens due volatile nature of crypto currency investment and many times it happens because of speculations. Trust me Crypto Currency really have got broght road ahead no matter if some asian countries are trying to ban or regulate it. You can always keep yourself updated with Crypto news and trends through an App which we have recently launched for Crypto Currency news and updates. Given the strength of animal spirits in the crypto currency markets, it’s hard to pin down an exact cause and effect. However, people are selling crypto currencies to cover personal expenses at the end of the year; that drove the beginning of a negative trend that the media picked up on and was exacerbated. The ongoing bitcoin vs. bitcoin cash rivalry has stoked major proponents from bitcoin cash to push news (along with other strategies) that depressed bitcoin’s price. Bitcoin is owned in a high concentration by 1,000 holders, some of these holders liquidated a portion of their stakes, which was picked up by the media. Some combination of the above, open to other fan theories.

Crypto currencies market is growing fast and is highly unpredictable. Presently, 1 ETH can be bought tight now for 470$. To reach 6k, you have to multiply this value by nearly 12.75x, an increase of over 1000%. I do agree that the amount of money required to re iterate this performance is huge. However, bringing big money as confidence in cryptos is increasing. Features are still in development and we can expect a fully working ETH in 3/5 years, which will dramatically increase its value. Also adoption and awareness also, is still low. Use cases are still very rare in everyday’s life. This a room for growth. To conclude, I think it’s possible, but I couldn’t tell you how probable it is to happen. Block chain tech is a major innovation. I’m confident with this. However, like internet bubble, the pioneer projects/companies aren’t guaranteed to remain in the game.

Although Bitcoin is an asset but it cannot be inherited from generations to generations, since the system recognizes an entity using its identity. However, if you're looking for a general crypto locker, and the gold standard for that used to be TrueCrypt, which, alas, is dead with no clear successor. Else, you need to have at least one back up of each of these wallets. Even if you have back-ups of everything already it’s a good idea to make at least two and store them in different geographical locations. This process can actually be kind of fun on its own and give you a lot more piece of mind if all of your assets aren’t already secure.

Bitcoin was the world’s first digital, decentralised, P2P cryptocurrency and payment network. It din’t require the function of a bank and relied on a trust less network. This was immediately considered by many eminent personalities as the future of Money. The gold like properties of Bitcoin made it very superior as compared to other currencies. Soon a lot of big companies started accepting payment in Bitcoin and eventually the interest level of the general public grew. The currency started getting traction and so did its price. Everybody wanted to own one and hence the price increased rapidly. Another major factor for Bitcoin price rise has been the opportunity to trade in them. Numerous exchanges started opening up that facilitated Bitcoin trading and with each new development (like banks accepting it; countries giving it a legal status - Japan Legalised Bitcoin; Price Goes through the Roof ) the price of Bitcoin skyrocketed.

You may have several catastrophic risks, so its a terrible idea for you to convert ALL your savings to Bitcoin. If you need my opinion, I woukd say it's not just risky but also not a wise thing to do. The wisest thing would be to have a diversified portfolio. Invest your money in various different coins or businesses. If you lose in one you can cover the losses from other coins or businesses. If you save only in Bitcoin, how will you save you funds if there be a. Government Policy Risk, b. Exchange and Online Platform Risk, c. Technology Risk and finally Bitcoin Uniqueness Risk. Hence, it best to diversify your saving platform.