Identity-theft protection company Lifelock has filed another lawsuit against Wences Casares, founder of bitcoin wallet company Xapo.

The suit was filed on Monday in Delaware Chancery Court against Casares and his former CFO at digital wallet startup Lemon, Cynthia McAdam, who currently serves as president and general counsel for Xapo.

LifeLock has alleged that the two withheld intellectual property related to Xapo and bitcoin integration software for Lemon that should have been included a 2013 acquisition of the startup by LifeLock, according to Courthouse News.

The suit also alleges that both Casares and McAdam worked on developing Xapo during a transition period when they were under the employ of Lifelock.

The complaint states:

    "Defendants' post-merger employment was little more than a ruse because while employed by Lemon, in Lemon offices, on Lemon computers and on Lemon-owned cloud server accounts, during Lemon-paid business hours, and using Lemon IP, defendants simply plotted their exit to Xapo while devoting the majority of their time to developing Xapo products."

http://www.coindesk.com/lifelock-files-second-suit-against-xapo-founder/

When it comes to user experience, the longest-running bitcoin wallet is hardly an iPhone 7.

To use Bitcoin Core, users need to download a copy of the entire transaction history of the digital currency, a process that can take days and this is only becoming more burdensome as bitcoin's transaction history increases.

This means that unlike other, flashier, VC-funded consumer wallets (think Coinbase or Circle) or open-source efforts like Mycelium, Bitcoin Core doesn’t fit on a smartphone, but it's still used for essentially the same functions – sending and receiving bitcoins.

http://www.coindesk.com/original-bitcoin-wallet-still-matter/

To put things into perspective, there are plenty of opportunities to educate people on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Most enthusiasts limit themselves to cryptocurrency and blockchain events, even though most of those attendees are all too familiar with these concepts already. Technology conferences present a perfect opportunity for educational purposes

Several community members have taken it upon themselves to attend ATECH 2016. This conference is held in Aruba this year, and it is a 100% technology event. That also makes it a perfect candidate for Bitcoin discussions even though they are not officially on the event agenda.

Among the exhibitions and topics discussed during this event are 3D Printing, various panels, and pitching startups. In a way, it is the perfect ecosystem to meet like-minded people, even though they may not have a direct link to cryptocurrency whatsoever. Technology events welcome people from all walks of life, and Bitcoin is a big part of [financial] technology available today.
http://themerkle.com/arubits-educates-atech-2016-attendees-on-bitcoin-and-cryptocurrency/

With no Samsung-like news for bitcoin, prices are holding steady and are even a bit bullish. Pundits expect that trend to continue, unless the price goes below $600, when traders are advised to close long positions to prepare for an initial downside to $570. But let’s turn to the miners, who aren’t happy at all with a stable bitcoin price.

The bitcoin block reward was halved in July, which has changed the profitability of new miner entries and could impact the decentralization of bitcoin. According to a paper by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), reducing the block reward by half cuts total mining revenues if the bitcoin transaction fees and price remain unchanged. The IEEE suggests that disenfranchised miners who have had revenues cut might collude to sabotage the blockchain’s bitcoin transaction history.
http://www.pymnts.com/news/bitcoin-tracker/2016/bitcoin-tracker-us-government-national-technology-policy/

The traditional business model is under attack… as well it should be.

In this era of disruption, it’s absolutely necessary to redefine business models and archetypes as a whole. This post dives into the benefits of blockchain, its impact on the financial system, and how some companies are experimenting.

Traditional financial services companies, and banks in particular, are behind the curve in terms of technology. An accenture report claims that most big banks have systems as old as the 1970s or even 1960s, which mean that newer IT systems are just patched on top of the core to deliver online and mobile banking capabilities. This means that most of the budget is used for maintenance rather than for innovation as their aging systems are creaking.

Taking the adoption of mobile and online banking as an example, most companies wait until a technology reaches a certain level of maturity before investing into it. The fact that these incumbents use antiquated tech propels the rise of fintech companies who utilize technology to make financial services more efficient and could potentially disrupt the financial services industry.

http://thenextweb.com/worldofbanking/2016/09/16/how-blockchain-is-transforming-business-models/

The Water Project is a well known charitable organization in the Bitcoin community. Local teams build water wells, dams, and spring protections in Kenya, Uganda and Sierra Leone. The charity got significant attention when BitGive helped them raise funds to build a water well in Western Kenya.

The well gave clean water to the Shisango Girls’ Secondary School and a community of over 500 people. BitGive published a short 3-minute video of how the project made a difference with help from the Bitcoin community.

The group received its largest donation to date on September 13. An anonymous giver sent 38 bitcoins over two transactions during the night.

The Water Project organizers thanked the donor on Reddit, stating:

        So we don’t know who you are, but we’re grateful. And so, just in case you hang out here, we want to say thanks! Today you gave enough BTC – totally anonymously – to provide clean, safe water and sanitation facilities to an entire school AND for the monitoring and repair funds to keep it working for years to come.

https://news.bitcoin.com/donor-gives-38-btc-water-project/

BlockCypher, a firm that positions itself as a “blockchain web services” provider for the corporate realm has claimed that it can now facilitate near-instant cross-border payments.

As bitcoin and blockchain-based innovation continues to disrupt the payments industry with quicker settlements at a lower cost, one Fintech firm with a focus in the B2B space claims it can now deliver on the promise of instant cross-border settlements at a fraction of the costs incurred with existing avenues, like SWIFT.

BllockCypher is a provider of web services that notably enables bitcoin wallet services for the likes of payment providers and exchanges.

https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/blockchain-services-firm-claims-instant-cross-border-payments/

Bitcoin price trades sideways below its 1hr 200MA and the market must soon choose direction. Let’s see, just maybe we get trend progression today, and a blast back to the recent high near $640. Perhaps price continues trading sideways and we only see a decisive movement when some exchanges do futures settlement on Friday.

https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/bitcoin-price-movement-due/

This is part of a POLITICO special report on FinTech: The future of new finance.

Besuited central bankers are about to crash the cool kids’ digital currencies party.

Originally conceived as a libertarian alternative to government-controlled money, e-currencies are now firmly on the radar of the old-school masters of monetary policy. The Bank of England, the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Dutch central bank and the Royal Canadian Mint are just a few of the institutions that are taking a closer look at internet-based rivals to traditional forms of currency.

But efforts to put an official stamp on digital money are irking the small but vocal band of purists who embraced so-called cryptocurrencies precisely because “there is no central authority to issue them,” as stated in the founding document of bitcoin, the most famous e-currency.


http://www.politico.eu/article/government-vs-virtual-cash/

The 100 SMA is below the longer-term 200 SMA so the path of least resistance is to the downside. Also, the gap between the two moving averages is widening, reflecting stronger selling momentum. The 200 SMA coincides with the top of the rising channel, adding to its strength as a ceiling.

Stochastic is pointing down to show that sellers could be in control of bitcoin price action. Should this continue, price could attempt to break below the 100 SMA and channel support at $604.

This consolidation could carry on until early next week as traders might want to wait for the actual FOMC statement before deciding their dollar bias. An upside break from the channel resistance could lead to a sharper climb to the longer-term highs.

http://www.newsbtc.com/2016/09/16/bitcoin-price-technical-analysis-09162016-bulls-still-control-now/

European data and analytics company, Bisnode and blockchain tech company Confirm are integrating solutions and bringing a new suite of blockchain, business intelligence and compliance services to the market in an effort to overcome transparency and compliance issues. The service will integrate Bisnode’s global database with the extensive structured blockchain database’s that sits behind Coinfirm’s platform in a bid to solve both needs with one solution.

Coinfirm’s platform is blockchain and digital currency agnostic but its main service addresses AML risk and compliance for bitcoin’s public blockchain. Combining this blockchain analysis and compliance platform with the data and analytics companies aims to provide opportunities and address problems affecting both the traditional and blockchain markets.


http://allcoinsnews.com/2016/09/16/compliance-and-business-intelligence-on-blockchain-from-bisnode-and-coinfirm/

A new 4G wireless data network with over 80% coverage, Reliance Jio, recently went live in India. Residents of approximately 18,000 cities and 200,000 rural villages can enjoy free cell and data plans until the end of the year. The data service then costs 149 rupees, about US$2.25, per month while cell remains free.

“No doubt Jio will create Fourth digital payments revolution in Indian semi-urban and rural population. Techies and IITians will tap this opportunity by building Blockchain/Bitcoin based applications.”


http://bravenewcoin.com/news/jio-wireless-network-will-greatly-help-the-indian-bitcoin-industry/

New documents suggest Italy's top tax office is treating bitcoin as a form of currency.

Agenzia della Entrate, Italy's top tax authority, released new information this month about its treatment of digital currencies, a publication that comes months after an EU court ruling regarding how value-added tax (VAT) would apply to transactions executed using the technology.

According to the Agenzia della Entrate, purchases and sales made with bitcoin remain exempt from VAT – a decision that mirrors a decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last October. However, Italian tax officials, the documents show, are applying income tax to speculative uses of bitcoin, or events in which money is made during a sale or purchase.

http://www.coindesk.com/italy-tax-speculative-bitcoin-uses/

The Brave Payments user interface allows the user to select the sites they wish to support by disabling or enabling funding for all sites they visit.

Contributions from users are sent to a bitcoin escrow wallet managed by Brave. When bitcoin contributions to a website equal $100 USD, the system emails the site’s webmaster and the registered domain owner, launching the publisher’s verification process. The email explains how the publisher verifies their bitcoin wallet. For publishers that don’t have a bitcoin wallet, the email explains how to create one.

The browser provides users with a free BitGo bitcoin wallet. Users can also fund a wallet through Coinbase..

https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/brave-browser-launches-bitcoin-micropayments-for-rewarding-user-preferred-websites/

Economic data from the U.S. turned out weaker than expected yesterday, hinting that the upcoming top-tier NFP release could also print downbeat results. The ISM manufacturing PMI tumbled from 52.6 to 49.4, which indicates industry contraction, worse than the estimated fall to 52.0.

Of particular interest is the employment component, which showed another decline for August and hinted of a possible reduction in the total workforce. Analysts are expecting to see a 180K gain in non-farm payrolls for the month, lower than the earlier 255K increase.

Keep in mind that the ADP report featured a significant upgrade in the July figure from 179K to 194K, suggesting that previous NFP readings could also see upward revisions and add to the bottom line jobs gains. This, coupled with upbeat August data, could yield strong gains for the dollar across the board if Fed rate hike odds increase.

On the other hand, downbeat results could lead traders to pare their long dollar positions and yield a rally for bitcoin price.
http://www.newsbtc.com/2016/09/02/bitcoin-price-technical-analysis-09022016-make-break/

The web has revolutionised many things, but who would have expected it to change the very nature of money? Introducing Bitcoin. This cryptocurrency is quickly being adopted by many online businesses, thanks to its speed and reliability. With the Bitcoin for Beginners: Master Bitcoin Course, you can learn all about Bitcoin and its perks, and even how to start your own Bitcoin-powered business. For a limited time, this course is on sale for only $50.70 AUD [$39 USD].

Dive straight into the history of Bitcoin, and learn how it’s valued, where you can trade it, and the best ways to collect it. You’ll discover how to implement Bitcoin into a digital store and use its advantages to maximise your revenue. On top of that, this course will walk you through Bitcoin mining, a process designed to collect Bitcoins online. For a limited time, Lifehacker readers can get the Bitcoin for Beginners: Master Bitcoin Course on sale for only $50.70 AUD [$39 USD], saving more than 80% off its $388.70 AUD retail price.
http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/09/deals-the-essential-guide-to-launching-your-own-bitcoin-business/

Technology is evolving according to Don Tapscott, and there is a new one in the market; that of digital currencies like Bitcoin commonly known as blockchain. It is perhaps the next generation of the internet. It seems to be building a promising future for so many businesses. Tapscott explains dissemination of information may involve the use of copies of the original which has nonetheless democratized information. However, he emphasizes that this does not apply in the case of assets which include money and the likes of stocks and bonds, loyalty points, and intellectual property among others.

The sending of money involves middlemen like banks, government, big social media companies which execute all the logistical transactions of commerce. Be it authentication, setting and record keeping or people identification, they help in gaining trust with the economy.



http://www.cctnews.com/ted-talks-blockchain-changing-money-business/3261/

Baidu Inc. has quietly removed advertising for bitcoin and all other forms of virtual currency from its online service, two of China’s largest bitcoin exchanges say, signaling a growing wariness over the proliferation of online scammers.

The country’s most popular search engine froze cryptocurrency ads from Thursday, according to local exchanges OKCoin and Huobi. Huobi Chief Executive Officer Leon Li and OKCoin’s Jiang Anming, a member of its search engine marketing team, separately confirmed the ban to Bloomberg News. The company declined to comment.

Baidu has weathered a storm of public criticism of late over paid ads featuring everything from gambling websites to unconventional medical treatments, the latter blamed for the death of a medical student this year. The ban also reflects official sentiment. While China accounts for more than 90 percent of global bitcoin trading, its central bank has said it’s not a “real” currency. The People’s Bank of China, which is studying the prospect of issuing its own virtual currency, has taken steps to prevent bitcoin from becoming entrenched in the financial system.

“It could be a precursor to China being ready to push for a more nationalized approach to virtual currencies,” said Zennon Kapron, managing director of Shanghai-based consulting firm Kapronasia. It could also be a case of consumer protection “as there have been cases of scams” targeting users “more prone to speculative trading.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-26/china-s-top-search-engine-freezes-bitcoin-ads-without-warning

Coinbase is known to capture new markets and introduce new features on a regular basis. Keeping up with the trend, the leading cryptocurrency platform recently announced the inclusion of credit and debit card payments for its European customers.

Coinbase’s new offering is influenced by its performance in the home country, United States. In its blog, the company states that over forty percent of all cryptocurrency purchase in the US is made by using credit and debit cards. With the inclusion of new payment option, the company intends to replicate the same success story in the European market as well.

http://www.newsbtc.com/2016/08/25/coinbase-introduces-credit-debit-card-support-european-customers/

Working abroad has been no walk in the part for Louise*, 33, who originally hails from Manila, Philippines. She has been providing support services for a few international companies, and is now working at a travel agency in Kuala Lumpur. From chronic homesickness to embarrassing culture shocks, she braced new challenges in order to earn a better income for her family. Louise left her toddler under the care of her ageing parents and became one of Philippine’s many ‘OFWs’ - overseas foreign workers.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zak-mustapha/case-study-filipino-ofws-_b_11582468.html