US-based investFeed, a social investment network that recently (reported here) replaced equities with blockchain based assets, concluded its Token Generation Event (TGE). The ICO closed with contributions totalling 15,038 ETH with a market valuation of about $4 million.
FAO: The start of the ICO was announced last month, and we reported it here.
B2Broker Plans ICO For Institutional Cryptocurrency Exchange, B2BX
Avi Mizrahi - Finance Magnates
B2Broker, an aggregator and provider of turnkey, cloud, and liquidity solutions for the FX industry, is planning to launch an ICO for B2BX – a new cryptocurrency exchange for institutional customers.
FAO: Cool. The expanding “cryptoverse” is morphing new breeds and automatically new trading venues appear to address new needs.
ICOs Meet IPOs: Blockchain Author Alex Tapscott To Take Token Startup Public
Michael del Castillo - CoinDesk
If blockchain author Alex Tapscott gets his way, his newly launched investment firm will be the first publicly traded company to focus on ICOs.
FAO: This is a bold move. Is there any chance for this ? Especially after SEC’s warning last month?
What Venture Capitalists See In Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin And Other Digital Currencies
Panos Mourdoukoutas - Forbes
Cryptocurrencies have become popular with venture capitalists, as a way to quickly and easily amass big fortunes, much faster than investing in conventional start-ups.
PHILIPP SANDNER, Frankfurt School Blockchain Center: This is interesting since crypto currencies are an interesting investment object; so why would VCs and angels give money to (illiquid) startups if they can invest in (liquid) crypto currencies? The question can be posed vice versa to startups.
Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin Cash Eases Mining Difficulty as Blockchain Adjusts
Jimmy Song - CoinDesk
Bitcoin Cash adjusted its mining difficulty over the weekend, a move that comes just under a week after the alternative version of the bitcoin blockchain was created.
The Bitcoin Cash Fork Was a Dangerous Trick
Samson Mow - Fortune
The newly created Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is a rushed spinoff of Bitcoin (BTC), a clonecoin of which there have been many in Bitcoin’s past. Because the name is confusing, many have taken to calling it “Bcash” to avoid buyer confusion.
Exchanges & Trading Venues
Exchanges Experiment With Blockchain Technology
Nikkei Asian Review
The world's securities exchanges are increasingly harnessing blockchain to stay competitive against each other and keep up with new technologies changing the infrastructure of the financial industry.
FAO: Here’s a short list - Nasdaq, ASX, JPX, TMX, LSEG etc. The list is growing, and so it is the interest shown by exchanges for this nascent industry. Prepare for a lot more action in the future. We strive to document all exchanges’ initiatives in the blockchain space, and I think we did quite a very good job since our launch. Just try our Archive.
Kyber Network Introduces A Secure, Decentralized, Cryptocurrency Exchange
Mondovisione
KyberNetwork is a new decentralized exchange and payment service, which aims to bring a more secure approach to crypto token exchanges. KyberNetwork’s technology will allow users to exchange or receive payments from any cryptocurrency through a completely decentralized network. No tokens or currencies are stored in a centralized location.
Latest Developments & Agreements
From ICOs to DCOs: The Dawn Of Cleared Crypto Derivatives
Conor O'Hanlon, Deborah North & David Lucking - CoinDesk
In what was a bustling month in crypto-land, one of the more important industry events may have been lost in the news flow. We're talking about LedgerX, a startup whose board members include, among others, Mark Wetjen, a former CFTC commissioner, and its successful registration as a DCO with the CFTC.
FAO: Nope, it was not lost. We gave quite a lot of attention to it. It is a breakthrough and an important sign that this industry is reaching maturity.
Mastercard Files Patent For Refund Services For Cryptocurrency Users
Joshua Althauser - CoinDesk
Global credit card company Mastercard has filed a patent application with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for the creation of refund services for digital currency users. In the patent titled “Information Transaction Infrastructure,” the company hinted at its plan to explore possible means of implementing this feature.
Analysis
Bitcoin Breaks Through $3,500 To Hit Fresh Record High, Now Up 264% This Year
Arjun Kharpal- CNBC
Bitcoin broke through the $3,500 mark for the first time on Tuesday hitting a fresh record high as uncertainty over the future of the cryptocurrency subsided.
DNT: Day and record for Bitcoin! Yesterday we reported the previous one. Where will it stop? Next story, related with Bitcoin surge.
FAO: Let’s hope it’s not ‘Spoofy’ deciding where BTC stops its rising...
Why Is Bitcoin Surging? Ask ‘Spoofy,’ The Trader Who’s Reportedly Manipulating Prices
Shawn Langlois - MarketWatch
Apparently, a deep-pocketed trader (or group of traders), nicknamed “Spoofy,” is rumored to be manipulating the bitcoin market by employing his namesake tactic on the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange.
Other news
UNICEF's Venture Arm Trials Ethereum Smart Contracts
Stan Higgins - CoinDesk
The venture arm of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is expanding its exploration of blockchain to include ethereum.
FAO: We can find blockchain related stories almost anywhere...
DNT: Yeah, this is kinda cool thing.
Opinion
Op Ed: The Role Of Trading Bots In The Cryptocurrency Market
Kayla Matthews - Bitcoin Magazine
Similar to Wall Street and stock trading, bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading is a form of income for many. Due to the nature of the medium, however, many bitcoin traders do it as a side project, focusing their energy on a main job or alternate work.
FAO: Florin Adrian Oprea, Editor-in-chief Blockchain Daily News.
DNT: Decebal Nicolaie Todarita, Editor Blockchain Daily News
Read more by MarketSlant Editor