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[kam2446]

IOTA and Volkswagen are planning to introduce a new conceptual project designed for wireless software updates, implemented using Tangle technology. The project solution will be presented within the framework of CeBIT 2018.
You can find more here: https://uniton.io/en/news/A-New-Concept-Project-from-IOTA-and-Volkswagen-Will-be-Presented-at-CeBIT-2018

[zhengqi]

  Bitcoin’s Collapse Accelerates, Falls to Lowest Since February 

Bitcoin tumbled to its lowest level since February as the meltdown in the world’s largest digital currency accelerates, renewing concern about the long-term viability of the much hyped alternative to traditional currencies.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-12/bitcoin-drops-to-lowest-since-february-as-collapse-accelerates?srnd=cryptocurriences

[Hoofprint]

Congressional Bill Calls for Study of Crypto Use in Sex Trafficking

Congress is set to consider yet another proposed mandate for a cryptocurrency study, this time in the area of sex trafficking.

The House of Representatives Financial Services Committee is introducing a new bill today that, if passed and signed into law, would require the director of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to open a study on "how virtual currencies and online marketplaces are used to buy, sell, or facilitate the financing of goods or services associated with sex trafficking or drug trafficking, and for other purposes."

https://www.coindesk.com/congressional-bill-calls-study-crypto-use-sex-trafficking/

[zhengqi]

  Non-JavaScript Cryptojacking Reaps More Than $144M  

Unauthorized crypto-currency mining, commonly referred to as cryptojacking, is a problem that doesn't seem to be slowing down and continues to be challenge for enterprises and individuals. It's challenge that hasn't escaped the notice of the U.S Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is now enabling individuals to file complaints about alleged cryptojacking.

http://www.eweek.com/security/non-javascript-cryptojacking-reaps-more-than-144m-research-finds

[saycryptohello]

Bobby Lee: Blockchain Only Suitable for Crypto, Not Real World Activities

Bobby Lee, co-founder and former CEO of the oldest Chinese bitcoin exchange BTCC, was one of the keynote speakers at BlockShow Europe 2018 in Berlin in the end of May. As he already did it on previous occasions in the past, Bobby Lee was expressing his exceptionally critical views on today’s financial system and the role bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies could potentially play in the future.

http://forklog.net/bobby-lee-blockchain-only-suitable-for-crypto-not-real-world-activities/

[zhengqi]

  India’s central bank admits it did no research before strangling cryptocurrencies 

After months of signalling its uneasiness with digital currencies, India dealt the ecosystem a body blow in April. The country’s central bank directed lenders to close down bank accounts of cryptocurrency exchanges and its users within three months. Since then, these bourses have been inching towards the end of the road.

https://qz.com/1303363/indias-cryptocurrency-crackdown-was-backed-by-zero-research-rbi-admits/

[Hoofprint]

A 'Crypto Shopping Mall' Is Being Tested in Slovenia


A major shopping center based in Slovenia is widening a cryptocurrency payments pilot.

BTC City Ljubljana, located in Slovenia's capital of Ljubljana, will allow a group of 150 people to use cryptocurrencies at 24 businesses located in the sprawling complex, which according to online materials boasts over 500 storefronts. Those include services for clothing and electronics as well as restaurants, Slovenian TV channel "24 Ur" reported on Monday.

https://www.coindesk.com/a-crypto-shopping-mall-is-being-tested-in-slovenia/

[diegodos]

Theta Network — May Roundup
https://medium.com/@ThetaLabs/theta-network-may-roundup-cfa45dc70ab

The New York State Department of Financial Services just approved the trading of privacy-protecting cryptocurrency. Gemini will become the first BitLicensed exchange to offer trading in Zcash.
https://coincenter.org/link/the-new-york-state-department-of-financial-services-just-approved-the-trading-of-privacy-protecting-cryptocurrency

[diegodos]

Digital Jersey Signs MOU with Binance to Establish Crypto Exchange in Jersey
https://cointelegraph.com/news/digital-jersey-signs-mou-with-binance-to-establish-crypto-exchange-in-jersey

Japanese Police Investigate Cryptojacking Case Involving Coinhive Monero Mining Software
https://cointelegraph.com/news/japanese-police-investigate-cryptojacking-case-involving-coinhive-monero-mining-software

[SuperBazooka]

Bitcoin.org Redesign Goes Live, Removes References to Pro-SegWit2x Companies

Bitcoin.org launched a new website design on and has removed references and links to certain partners, including BitPay, Coinbase, and Blockchain.
The argument for removing these large players, who have helped with increasing adoption for new users, is that they act against decentralized principles. As CCN reported, the bitcoin.org blog published a post that ‘denounced’ Segwit2x, which was came during the intense debate as part of the New York Agreement. The post, in no uncertain terms, vehemently criticized S2X and called out 51 companies by name that support the protocol.
The post followed a lengthy disussion on a Github issue (opened on October 4, 2017) that recommended the bitcoin.org website remove companies that defaulted to Segwit2x. Thus, the website did indeed take the recommendation in the design overhaul.
The outcome of the discussions culminated in a litmus test for companies that support S2X in ‘tolerable’ ways. These points are:
The company will not under any circumstances list “Segwit2x” as “BTC” and/or “Bitcoin”. Note that Bitcoin is not ruled by miners, and miner actions cannot be used as a justification to redefine Bitcoin.
The company will not by default do anything that would deprive users of their bitcoins (by eg. using S2X software without addressing replay attacks2, selling user bitcoins automatically, crediting BTC deposits only as S2X deposits, etc.). Providing access to S2X-coins is acceptable, however.
The company will continue to provide normal service to Bitcoin (ie. non-S2X) users.
https://www.ccn.com/bitcoin-org-redesign-goes-live-removes-references-to-pro-segwit2x-companies/

[SuperBazooka]

ICOs are Securites, ‘Don’t Know How Much More Clear I Can Be’: SEC Chairman

The SEC held a public forum on June 13, “Investing In America: Atlanta Town Hall Meeting.” The town hall was highly anticipated because regulators planned on speaking about cryptocurrency regulations and innovation. The session was open to the public and streamed live on the SEC website.

The discussions reaffirmed that the agency wants to welcome innovation with blockchain technology but is also extremely cautious toward fraud, especially as it relates to retail or individual investors. The stance on ICOs was also the same — that they are securities — though no token or coin was mentioned by name.

Speakers set a general tone that nearly all investment types, outside of cryptocurrency, are increasing in complexity and technological advances, and the agency is improving their own data and technology to keep up and improve security.
https://www.ccn.com/icos-are-securites-dont-know-how-much-more-clear-i-can-be-sec-chairman/

[Hoofprint]

Steve Bannon May be Eyeing a Move into the ICO Space

Not content with disrupting U.S. politics, Steve Bannon now wants to disrupt the financial system with a move into the crypto space, according to a new interview.

In a Bloomberg article published Thursday, Bannon – who was previously chief strategist for President Donald Trump and executive chairman of Breitbart News – told the news source that he has had meetings with investors and hedge funds about initial coin offerings (ICOs) in relation to his investment firm Bannon & Company.

https://www.coindesk.com/steve-bannon-may-be-eyeing-a-move-into-the-ico-space/

[cxboyminer]

SEC official: Ether is not a security

Speaking on Thursday at Yahoo Finance's All Markets Summit in San Francisco, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission director of Corporate Finance William Hinman said that digital token ether is not a security.

Why it matters: The digital currency industry has been awaiting for more regulatory clarity for some time, particularly around widely popular cryptocurrencies like ether and bitcoin. SEC chairman Jay Clayton recently said that the latter is akin to a currency, much to the relief of the industry.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/sec-official-ether-is-not-a-security-928bd2ee-0891-4903-a12e-4457e617b4c7.html

[Hoofprint]

The EOS Blockchain Is Now Live

The EOS blockchain is now live.

What was perhaps one of the most hotly anticipated blockchain launches, after the company that developed its software, Block.one raised more than $4 billion during an almost year-long initial coin offering (ICO), is finally live as of 18:46 UTC on June 14.

https://www.coindesk.com/the-eos-blockchain-is-now-live/

[cxboyminer]

In huge win for cryptocurrency, SEC says bitcoin and ether aren't securities

The world of cryptocurrency just got some much needed good news.

With the prices of bitcoin and ether on a steady downward trend, the Securities and Exchange Commission today provided hodlers with a flash of hope: Neither of the cryptocurrencies are considered securities.

Read more: https://mashable.com/2018/06/14/bitcoin-ether-not-security-sec/?europe=true&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed#IaWFd5C4giqI

[BCTS]

Coinbase Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter to Startup Tokenizing Its Shares
Privately-held industry giant Coinbase has sent a cease-and-desist letter to cryptocurrency startup Swarm for the latter’s attempt to tokenize and sell the San Francisco cryptocurrency exchange operator’s shares.
https://www.ccn.com/coinbase-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-startup-tokenizing-its-shares/

[miropp]

- Israeli Internet Firm Seeks Tax Authority’s Permission to Pay Employees in Bitcoin
- MoneyConf 2018: The Tokenisation of Everything, as Explained by Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire

[SuperBazooka]

BitLicense #6: New York Grants Cryptocurrency License to Bitcoin Wallet Xapo
Cryptocurrency wallet and vault Xapo is the latest recipient of New York’s ‘BitLicense’, arguably the strictest state law governing the crypto sector, from the state’s financial regulator.

In an announcement on Thursday, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS)’s superintendent Maria T. Vullo said the authority is furthering “New York’s continued commitment to creating a thriving, global fintech marketplace” by granting its BitLicense to Xapo, a bitcoin wallet and cold storage service headquartered in Switzerland.

In doing so, the New York regulator has granted its sixth-ever BitLicense, a formal approval to operate in the state of New York, after approving the first BitLicense to industry startup Circle in September 2015.

https://www.ccn.com/bitlicense-6-new-york-grants-cryptocurrency-license-to-bitcoin-wallet-xapo/

[miropp]

- Western Union CEO Not Impressed by Ripple Trial, Doesn’t See Bitcoin Replacing Fiat
- Firefox Founder’s Blockchain-Based Brave Browser is #12 Top Tech Firm of 2018

[Hoofprint]

A Real-Time Fight Over Shitty Art Is Becoming a Big Deal for Bitcoin

A bird? A plane? No, that's just a giant penis spouting flaming bitcoin.

Such is the canvas at Satoshi's Place, a web app that allows savvy users to create digital pictures by sending small amounts of bitcoin. In the weeks since its release, the graffiti tool has become the site of territorial battles of pixel-space, with tribes of every description, from national flags, to cryptocurrency insignias, to companies, all competing for a patch of digital property.

https://www.coindesk.com/a-real-time-fight-over-shitty-art-is-becoming-a-big-deal-for-bitcoin/