Debit Cards Powered by Smart Contracts: A Swipe At a New Path
Over the past 18-24 months, there has been a flurry of activity directed towards better integrating debit cards into the global cryptocurrency ecosystem. With this has come talk about the use of smart contracts – computer protocols that facilitate, verify, or enforce the negotiation or performance of a contract – as a means of providing card users greater control and security over their funds. In an announcement destined to further ignite advancements in this space, Switzerland-based Monolith Studio announced on April 20th the launch of TokenCard. TokenCard, an innovative crypto-based debit card powered by smart contracts, brings the VISA payments
Leadership Change and iOS Wallet Fuel Dash Continued Expansion
Officially announced on April 17, Dash’s Director of Finance, Ryan Taylor, has been appointed CEO of the Dash Core Project. The appointment comes as Dash founder Evan Duffield announced on that day that he’s transitioning to an advisory role, officially departing from day-to-day duties at one of the world’s fastest growing and prominent cryptocurrency projects. The appointment was unanimously agreed upon by Duffield and the Dash Core, the democratically-elected body responsible for the development, marketing and expansion of the Dash ecosystem. Dash Core CEO Ryan Taylor has been a key contributor to Dash since mid-2014. He left a traditional Wall
Getting Schooled On Crypto: 17 Trends From Global Study
The Global Cryptocurrency Benchmarking Study is a new research report on emerging trends in alternative payment systems and digital assets. Curated by principal researcher Dr. Garrick Hileman, Economic Historian at the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics, this is the first study of its kind to comprehensively examine the growing global cryptocurrency industry and its key constituents, including exchanges, wallets, payments, and mining. Hileman is best known for his research on financial and monetary innovation, particularly distributed ledger technology (blockchain) and cryptocurrencies. This is the first known study to systematically examine key cryptocurrency industry sectors through the
Who Is John Adair?: His Quest to Connect Merchants and Bitcoin Users
Talk to John Adair and you quickly realize that life is about stepping outside of one’s comfort zone. A former automotive technician and father of two, Adair’s life was forever changed in 2016 with the passing of his wife to cancer. Today, in addition to caring for his two daughters, he’s championing a mobile tool called *thisApp with the hopes of boosting merchant acceptance of bitcoin in the U.S. and beyond. Below is a brief interview with Adair as he briefly shares about his matriculation through the University of Hard Knocks, early evolution in the tech world and what sparked
Catching the ICO Wave: Promises and Pitfalls
In the crypto world, Initial Coin Offerings or ICOs seem to be the rage these days among both startups as well as investors. With funding being vital to a successful business launch, ICOs offer an alternative to traditional venture capital and crowdfunding campaigns. They also provide a viable option for investors looking for new ways to secure a healthy return on their money. So what exactly are ICOs? According to the website Investopedia they are defined as: An unregulated means by which funds are raised for a new cryptocurrency venture. An Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is used by startups
The “Dash” To Build A Wall
Dash, the rising alternative to bitcoin, recently announced a partnership with Wall of Coins that allows users to purchase and sell Dash from a nearby bank or financial services branch. Dash users will now be able to exchange the cryptocurrency at major national banks such as Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, as well as financial service companies like MoneyGram and Western Union. This partnership provides the growing number of Dash traders and investors, who currently have to buy Dash from a digital exchange using other cryptocurrencies, with the ability to convert cash to Dash right away. Given
Navigating the World of Custodial Wallets: Promises and Perils
Cryptocurrency is often touted as a way of becoming “one’s own bank.” With this notion has come the rapid proliferation of digital wallets for managing the receipt, transfer, and storage of bitcoin and other forms of crypto. For many in the Bitcoin community, custodial wallets have become their go-to solution. But few are often aware of both the upside and potential pitfall of using these digital tools. First, let’s wrestle a bit with a very basic definition. A custodial wallet can be best defined as any wallet where one’s private key for controlling their bitcoin resides in the hands of
TaaS Opens The Curtain to Blockchain Asset, Closed End Fund
TaaS, a tokenized closed-end fund (CEF) dedicated to blockchain assets, recently announced its upcoming Initial Coin Offering (ICO), commencing March 27, 2017, and running until April 27, 2017. Utilizing the Ethereum blockchain and its pioneering Cryptographic Audit technology, TaaS will provide a new way to take part in capital raising, fund management, and cryptocurrency investing, all with full auditing transparency to investors. Token-as-a-Service (TaaS) is a last generation closed-end fund that allows its investors to capitalize on the rise of blockchain markets. A closed-end fund is a collective investment model in which shares are issued during an Initial Public Offering
Fast-Forwarding to Peer-to-Peer, Bit by Bit
A major tenet of cryptocurrency is its peer-to-peer nature, one where people can maintain direct control of their assets and exchange with others without third party interference. Today because of Bitcoin’s ascension worldwide, the opportunity to transact openly in a free market environment without barriers and constraints has never been greater. Fermat, a large open-sourced project on the blockchain hopes to further this aim. In August of 2016, the company released a landmark white paper highlighting key elements of this movement along with a call for interested parties to participate. Fermat’s vision is to facilitate direct device-to-device communication, independent of
Putting Some Teeth Into Bitcoin
With Bitcoin’s continued advancement as both a payment network and currency unit, growing numbers of health clinics are looking to integrate the technology into their business practice. One such example is Helvetic Dental Clinics in Budapest, Hungary. In January, this medical tourism-style clinic announced that it would be accepting bitcoin for dental treatments this year. Says Pierre Chaker, founder of the clinics: “Since we began, we have gone to extraordinary lengths to facilitate payment options for our international patients and, since the beginning, have accepted most major currencies.” Adds co-founder Jean-François Empain: “Not only will we save money by
