Crypto Debit Card Providers Are an Endangered Species

It’s hard finding a reliable way to spend your cryptocurrency. When BTC’s fees went sky high in 2017, many merchants were sent scurrying from the crypto arena and have yet to return. With the Lightning Network permanently six months away, and few established crypto payment gateways, crypto debit cards have become a popular means of … Read more

Universal Protocol Alliance Launches Interest-Paying Stablecoin UPUSD

A consortium of blockchain companies including Bittrex International, Brave, Cred, and Bitgo is launching a new stablecoin. Universal Protocol Alliance’s Universal Dollar (UPUSD) is a dollar-pegged token whose holders will earn interest, just like a regular savings account. The consortium has announced ambitious plans to launch UPUSD in Africa and Latin America first, to attract … Read more

Markets Update: Diminished March Trade Volume Mirrors Previous Patterns

Over the last few days, cryptocurrency markets have been holding steady and consolidating after the correction on Feb. 24. Currently, the entire market capitalization is hovering around $129 billion and trade volume has started to diminish slightly with $24.9 billion traded over the last 24 hours. The top contenders capturing most of today’s daily gains … Read more

Report: ‘The State of Stablecoins’ Maps the Growth of Fiat-Pegged Cryptocurrency

A new report published this week shines a light on the stablecoin ecosystem. Authored by George Samman and Andrew Masanto in conjunction with Amazix, the report traces the rise of digital currencies against a backdrop of high inflation in 16 countries. The report claims these conditions will create a need for fiat-pegged digital currencies that … Read more

Bitcoin’s Social Contract Must Be Resilient to the Whims of Future Generations

Over the last few years, infighting and different visions has led to significant divides within the Bitcoin community, weakening the network effects no matter which chain you support. With all the arguments about scaling, privacy, consensus changes and the various forks, it is amazing that these public networks are still thriving. Nevertheless, the people who … Read more

Tidbits: Kraken CEO Offers Help in Quadrigacx Case, Iranian Bitcoiner Learns Expensive Lesson

Tidbits is a roundup of talking points from across the cryptosphere. In this edition, Jesse Powell offers to help the Canadian police investigate the supposed death of Quadrigacx CEO Gerald Cotten and the subsequent movement of funds. Also, the r/btc community teaches Iranian redditor Cdaemon how to keep his crypto safe.  Also read: Canadian Exchange … Read more

Back to Basics: What Is Money?

Our current economic system can be compared to a merry-go-round that has us consuming, trapped in debt and spending as quickly as we earn. What is fiat currency? Why do we use it and who controls it? And how does it compare to gold and bitcoin? It is worth going back to basics, to better understand … Read more

Texas Updates Regulatory Guidance Regarding Cryptocurrency Activities

The Texas Department of Banking has published new guidance regarding the regulatory treatment of virtual currencies under the Texas Money Services Act. The document states that most transactions involving cryptocurrencies will not be considered a transfer of “monetary value” but the exchange of virtual currencies for fiat will likely be recognized as a “money transmission.” … Read more