Mulesoft development services – helping businesses with provision of customized solutions – The African Exponent

Business organizations have to continuously adapt themselves with changing times. In order to stay ahead of the competition prevailing in the market and to efficiently tackle the problems an organization may face with greater developments, one must adopt new digital systems of working. The workflow within an organization depends upon communication between various departments and completion of processes. This requires complete interconnectivity between various applications, departments, processes and people who are connected to q business enterprise like customers, suppliers, retailers etc. Integration of business processes and applications require adoption of an cloud based system of storing and sharing information. Every process stays connected with other operations which enables faster completion of assigned tasks.

Mulesoft is one such company which provides required technical consultancy and software development services to business enterprises. Mulesoft software development services help an organization by developing, creating and integrating new digital cloud based of work within normal workflow of the business. They help in development if necessary automated integration systems which can help in streamlining of workflow within an organization. The company help in creation of necessary customized digital software like cloud based technology and application program interface (API) which can help in providing security and strength to an organizational structure. Moreover, their consultation services help an organization fully understand the functions and thereby its uses for building a better organization.

Mulesoft consultation and software development services help in development and deployment of best digital solutions which helps in eradication of all obstacles an organization may face while improving and developing itself.

The company provides following services:

Modernization of business enterprise:

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Building better applications:

Mulesoft development services help an organization to build better infrastructure and applications which can help in better adoption of new digital and cloud based systems. Mulesoft helps business enterprise in building better applications. Its amazing consultation and development services provide the necessary effectiveness to an organization to build better applications at a faster pace. This even helps better marketing of created applications. They help in integration of various processes, applications and data for better transmission of information and improved performance.

Optimization of operations:

Mulesoft improves the way various operations are carried out in the business. Operations are automated, infrastructure is improved, IT is streamlined and efficiency with work is performed is improved. This helps in faster delivery of applications.

Thus Mulesoft developments help an organization at each and every step of transition from a traditional to a more modern system of workflow. Every organization wishing to improve its level of operations must consider adoption Mulesoft development and consultation services which are termed to be the best in the world owing to their seamless workflow and help groups.

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Mulesoft development services - helping businesses with provision of customized solutions - The African Exponent

Revealed: What Leo, Michel, Mary Lou and Eamon asked Santa for – The Irish Times

In the manner of WikiLeaks and the Pentagon Papers, The Irish Times has obtained copies of Irish political leaders letters to Santa, which we now publish in the public interest. Any embarrassment to Santa is regretted

Dear Santa,

I know this may be stretching things a bit, but what I want for Christmas is to know the best date to have the election on. This is, like, the biggest decision ever for me, after what top to wear to the Kylie gig. Most of the guys think I should go in February, right after Brexit, but half of me thinks, Hmmm, February election, dont like the sound of that.

Also, yknow, a February election not as easy for me to swan around the country with my sleeves rolled up in the old young-leader-for-a-young-country pose, which the guys reckon will be a surefire winner with our target voters. Instead Ill be stuck in TV studios with that OK Boomer Michel Martin, debating waiting lists and homeless figures and all that stuff he keeps droning on about, the saddo.

On the other hand, Brexit is about the only thing voters think the Government has got right, so theres a strong argument for opening the polls about 20 minutes after the UK leaves the EU. And you know what voters are like, Santa. Memory of a goldfish. Theyll have forgotten completely I saved them from a no-deal Brexit by May.

Sorry for going on about this, but it has my head wrecked. Obvs would like to win the election too, if you could manage that. Its a big ask, I know, but imagine the look on Harriss face when I keep him as Minister for Health. Lol.

Ill leave a smoothie and some avocado toast out for you and Rudolph.

Your friend,Leo

Dear Santy,

this is a big request, but, as you know, I have been very, very good again this year. I would like a new front bench and parliamentary party. Ive just about had it with the current crowd and dont think I can put up with them going forward, and so on and so forth. I mean, what are my chances of beating that pup Varadkar and then leading a government of national renewal with this shower?

Even Lisa Chambers, who was my star pupil, turns out to be up to her neck in the dodgy-voting controversy, much to the amusement of the corner boys. As for their complaints that I never listen to them anyway, thats not true, Santa. I listen to them closely, so I can relate all the details to my staff to laugh at.

Most of the TDs seem more interested in having a laugh and shoring up their own seats than getting ready for the election or developing policies. Their knowledge of politics is not up to scratch, either many dont realise how successful I was as minister for health, or that I was the greatest minister for foreign affairs of the late 2000s. Also, Santa, their diets are atrocious far too meat-heavy, and not enough pulses and grains. Dont even start me on the fried breakfasts. No, theres only one thing for it: I need a whole new set of TDs.

I will leave out some fruit juice and quinoa for yourself and Rudolph. To be honest, I think you could possibly look at your own diet and exercise regime.

Happy Christmas,Michel

Santa, a chara,

So this is a little unusual, but I am going to ask to not have something next year as my present. As in an election. The whole election thing is a little tricky for me at the mo, and Id be so, so grateful, Santa, if we could just avoid one next year. I really couldnt handle another election campaign right now. We just finished one in the North, and, honestly, the stress of not being sure whether its an audience youre supposed to shout Tiocfaidh r l! at or intone solemnly, We must listen to and understand the concerns of unionists it would give you hives, Santa, it would. Also, the results were not exactly Gerrytastic, and more of the same in the South would have Pearse furrowing his brow at the rest of the party in that I-told-you-so way of his, so if you could deliver no election it would be thas-an-domhain time. Trying to work on the old Irish there, Santa.

Also, could you stop Eoin Broin looking so smug? As, like, an extra surprise.

Ill leave out a selection box as usual for yourself and Rudolph.

Le mr mheas (Irish again there), Mary Lou

Hi Santa

Can I just say that although we do appreciate you calling at our house again this year, it does seems to be a little unsustainable to travel to every house in the world on Christmas night. So maybe you should think about just going to the constituencies that the Greens have a chance to win seats in. Anyway, just a thought.

I have just two things on my list this year. The first is Id like loads of new TDs dont want to seem greedy, Santa, but the more the better. The second request is related: that they accept my judgment that the right thing to do is enter government and for me to be a minister, along with some other people that I choose. The last thing I want, Santa, is to bring in a bunch of new TDs and have them make up their own minds on this. I dont think that would be helpful at all, if you dont mind me pointing that out. Yes, I know some of them will say that the last period in government was rather challenging, but I think we can all agree: this time will be different.

Ill leave out some carrot cake.

Happy Christmas, Eamon

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Revealed: What Leo, Michel, Mary Lou and Eamon asked Santa for - The Irish Times

Hard-Hitting Investigative Journalism You Can Support With Cryptocurrencies – Forbes

Kim Dotcom, founder of the Internet Party and founder of Megaupload Ltd., right, looks on as ... [+] investigative journalist Glenn Greenwald, second right, addresses a question to Edward Snowden, former contractor at the U.S. National Security Agency, projected on the screen at left while speaking from a remote location, during an event titled and quot;Moment of Truth and quot; at the Auckland Townhall in Auckland, New Zealand, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said he'll declassify intelligence service documents to disprove claims his government engaged in mass surveillance of its citizens after Greenwald, who published Snowden's leaked U.S. National Security Agency documents last year, said he'll release more NSA files showing New Zealand's complicity in mass surveillance with its partners in the Five Eyes network. Photographer: Brendon O'Hagan/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Kim Dotcom; Glenn Greenwald; Edward Snowden

In an age where opinions abound (including from yours truly), there is a premium for hard-hitting adversarial journalism that digs at facts that can unnerve powerful incumbent classes. In many ways, the roots of journalism and cryptocurrency come from the same spiritual places: a relentless drive to hold the powerful accountable, an unending desire to question the truth and, with the evolution of journalism from curated, edited papers to a larger audience of decentralized voices, the same ethos as cryptocurrency, if not in spirit, than in practice.

So it makes sense that journalists and investigative outlets are increasingly looking to experiment with cryptocurrencies. Here are some prominent examples of hard-hitting investigative journalism supported by cryptocurrency users and donors that you can contribute to.

1- Hong Kong Free Press

Hong Kong Free Press is a non-for-profit team of journalists based in Hong Kong that relies entirely on donors and readers to maintain their work. At the forefront of covering the Hong Kong protests and the Umbrella Movement, theyve broken such stories such as the denial of visa renewal for the foreign press clubs Vice President, Victor Mallet and maintained constant coverage through months of protest in the city. They accept Bitcoin through BTCPay.

2- Caracas Chronicles

Caracas Chronicles features English-language stories and insight on Venezuela. Fueled by contributions from readers, there are now contributors from across Venezuela, filling an important void in the media ecosystem especially in the context of a state that will sometimes shut down the Internet in order to keep information from coming out from its borders.

Started as a blog in 2002, Caracas Chronicles has now evolved to a media outfit with a newsroom in Caracas and correspondents in eight Venezuelan cities. The site takes cryptocurrency donations through a Coinbase integration, accepting Litecoin, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Bitcoin Cash.

3- Freedom of the Press Foundation

The Freedom of the Press Foundation was founded in 2012 as a non-profit organization dedicated to "promoting and funding aggressive, public-interest journalism focused on exposing mismanagement, corruption, and law-breaking in government". Journalists and whistleblowers such as Daniel Ellsberg (who leaked the Pentagon Papers), Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras have served on its board. Edward Snowden has served as the president for the Foundation since 2016.

The organization drew its roots from the financial blockade of Wikileaks with payment processors refusing to serve Wikileaks directly, Freedom of the Press Foundation served as an intermediary. Perhaps for this reason, and its affiliation with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, it is one of a few media-based organizations that does accept cryptocurrency donations everything from Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Stellar, ZCash, Litecoin and Ethereum. You can donate directly to wallets that are managed by the Foundation it has received about 9 BTC in donations by the time of publication.

4- Wikimedia Foundation

While not traditionally associated with investigative journalism, the Wikimedia Foundation, through its work with Wikipedia and Wikiquote, help reinforce a curated history and legacy of investigative work, accessible and contextualized for all. This includes the Wikipedia pages of murdered investigative journalists and compiled reports on the product and outcome of investigative reports such as the Panama Papers. The Foundation takes donations with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Ether through Bitpay.

5- Forbes Crypto

This very section of Forbes now has accepted the ability for payments in Ethereum through the Unlock Protocol in order to read content without ads at the equivalent of $1 a week. Payments can only be made in Ethereum for now but this already gives Forbes a more international and cross-border reach than transactions in any domestic currency.

In a world with more interpretations of the truth, there is a need for hard-hitting investigative journalism that is not afraid of being adversarial and dogged in questioning the truth at every turn. It is a sentiment many in the cryptocurrency community might share and which they can tangibly support through the outlets above.

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Hard-Hitting Investigative Journalism You Can Support With Cryptocurrencies - Forbes

Dr. Max Welling on Federated Learning and Bayesian Thinking – Synced

Introduced by Google in 2017, Federated Learning (FL) enables mobile phones to collaboratively learn a shared prediction model while keeping all the training data on the device, decoupling the ability to do machine learning from the need to store the data in the cloud. Two years have passed, and several new research papers have proposed novel systems to boost FL performance. This March for example a team of researchers from Google suggested a scalable production system for FL to enable increasing workload and output through the addition of resources such as compute, storage, bandwidth, etc.

Earlier this month, NeurIPS 2019 in Vancouver hosted the workshop Federated Learning for Data Privacy and Confidentiality,where academic researchers and industry practitioners discussed recent and innovative work in FL, open problems and relevant approaches.

Professor Dr. Max Welling is the research chair in Machine Learning at the University of Amsterdam and VP Technologies at Qualcomm. Welling is known for his research in Bayesian Inference, Generative modeling, Deep Learning, Variational autoencoders, Graph Convolutional Networks.

Below are excerpts from the workshop talk Dr. Welling gave on Ingredients for Bayesian, Privacy Preserving, Distributed Learning, where the professor shares his views on FL, the importance of distributed learning, and the Bayesian aspects of the domain.

The question can be separated in two parts. Why do we need distributed or federated inferencing? Maybe that is easier to answer. We need it because of reliability. If you in a self-driving car, you clearly dont want to rely on a bad connection to the cloud in order to figure out whether you should brake. Latency. If you have your virtual reality glasses on and you have just a little bit of latency youre not going to have a very good user experience. And then theres, of course, privacy, you dont want your data to get off your device. Also compute maybe because its close to where you are, and personalization you want models to be suited for you.

It took a little bit more thinking why distributed learning is so important, especially within a company how are you going to sell something like that? Privacy is the biggest factor here, there are many companies and factories that simply dont want their data to go off site, they dont want to have it go to the cloud. And so you want to do your training in-house. But theres also bandwidth. You know, moving around data is actually very expensive and theres a lot of it. So its much better to keep the data where it is and move the computation to the data. And also, personalization plays a role.

There are many challenges when you want to do this. The data could be extremely heterogeneous, so you could have a completely different distribution on one device than you have on another device. Also, the data sizes could be very different. One device could contain 10 times more data than another device. And the compute could be heterogeneous, you could have small devices with a little bit of compute that now and then or you cant use because the batterys down. There are other bigger servers that you also want to have in your in your distribution of compute devices.

The bandwidth is limited, so you dont want to send huge amounts of even parameters. Lets say we dont move data, but we move parameters. Even then you dont want to move loads and loads of parameters over the channel. So you want to maybe quantize it to see this. I believe Bayesian thinking is going to be very helpful. And again, the data needs to be private so you wouldnt want to send parameters that contain a lot of information about the data.

So first of all, of course, were going to move model parameters, were not going to move data. We have data stored at places and were going to move the algorithm to that data. So basically you get your learning update, maybe privatized, and then you move it back to your central place where youre going to update it.And of course, bandwidth is another challenge that you have to solve.

We have these heterogeneous data sources and we have very variability in the speed in which we can sync these updates. Here I think the Bayesian paradigm is going to come in handy because, for instance, if you have been running an update on a very large dataset, you can shrink your posterior parameters to a very small posterior. Where on another device, you might have much less data, and you might have a very wide posterior distribution for those parameters. Now, how to combine that? You shouldnt average them, its silly. You should do a proper posterior update where the one that has a small peaked posterior has a lot more weight than the one with a very wide posterior. Also uncertainty estimates are important in that aspect.

The other thing is that with Bayesian update, if you have a very wide posterior distribution, then you know that parameter is not going be very important for making predictions. And so if youre going to send that parameter over a channel, you will have to quantize it, especially to save bandwidth. The ones that are very uncertain anyway you can quantize at a very coarse level, and the ones which have a very peak posterior need to be encoded very precisely, and so you need much higher resolution for that. So also there, the Bayesian paradigm is going to be helpful.

In terms of privacy, there is this interesting result that if you have an uncertain parameter and you draw a sample from that posterior parameter, then that single sample is more private than providing the whole distribution. Theres results that show that you can get a certain level of differential privacy by just drawing a single sample from that posterior distribution. So effectively youre adding noise to your parameter, making it more private. Again, Bayesian thinking is synergistic with this sort of Bayesian federated learning scenario.

We can do MCMC (Markov chain Monte Carlo) and variational based distributed learning. And as theres advantages to do that because it makes the updates more principled and you can combine things which, one of them might be based on a lot more data than another one.

Then we have private and Bayesian to privatize the updates of a variational Bayesian model. Many people have worked on many other of these intersections, so we have deep learning models which have been privatized, we have quantization, which is important if you want to send your parameters over a noisy channel. And its nice because the more you quantize, the more private things become. You can compute the level of quantization from your Bayesian posterior, so all these things are very nicely tied together.

People have looked at the relation between quantized models and Bayesian models how can you use Bayesian estimates to quantized better? People have looked at quantized versus deep to make your deep neural network run faster on a mobile phone you want to quantize it. People have looked at distributed versus deep, distributed deep learning. So many of these intersections have actually been researched, but it hasnt been put together. This is what I want to call for. We can try to put these things together and at the core of all of this is Bayesian thinking, we can use it to execute better on this program.

Journalist: Fangyu Cai | Editor: Michael Sarazen

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Dr. Max Welling on Federated Learning and Bayesian Thinking - Synced

Googles YouTube Goes To War With Bitcoin And Crypto – Forbes

Google's relationship with bitcoin and cryptocurrency has long been fraught but it has apparently just taken a turn for the worse.

The search giant previously banned bitcoin and cryptocurrency ads, knocking the bitcoin price, before deciding to allow them again in September last year after three-month block.

Now, Google has decided to remove hundreds of bitcoin and cryptocurrency videos from its video-sharing site YouTube in what's being called a "crypto-purge"leaving many who make bitcoin and cryptocurrency-related videos feeling unfairly targeted by the search giant.

[Update: 5:05am EST 12/27/2019] YouTube has said the decision to ban bitcoin and cryptocurrency videos from its site was an "error" and the removed videos would be reinstated.

"With the massive volume of videos on our site, sometimes we make the wrong call," a YouTube spokesman told crypto news site Decrypt. "When it's brought to our attention that a video has been removed mistakenly, we act quickly to reinstate it."

Google's YouTube video-sharing platform is the world's biggest video website, with 300 hours of ... [+] content on everything, including bitcoin and cryptocurrency, uploaded every minute.

The YouTube crypto-purge appears to only be targeting smaller channels and publishers, with crypto-related videos from the likes of bitcoin and crypto news outlet CoinTelegraph and U.S. business news publisher CNBC escaping the cull.

One YouTuber Chris Dunn, who has some 210,000 subscribers on the platform, asked YouTube for an explanation via Twitter.

"YouTube just removed most of my crypto videos citing 'harmful or dangerous content' and 'sale of regulated goods,'" Dunn wrote, adding he's been making videos on the platform for 10 years and built up 200,000 subs and 7 million views.

The number of videos targeted by Google's YouTube is well into the hundreds and "growing fast."

Some in the bitcoin and cryptocurrency industry have vowed to challenge the decision.

"YouTube deleting all Crypto content is a massive blow to the industry," Ran NeuNer, host of the CryptoTrader show on CNBC Africa, said via Twitter.

"YouTube is the go to place for educational video and the first port of call for new people entering the ecosystem to learn the basics. As a community we should challenge this formally."

Meanwhile, others have been searching for a reason for the purge, finding YouTube's citing of "harmful and dangerous content" unsatisfactory.

"So far Alphabet [Google's parent company] has made no attempt to explain the reasons for the culling," Mati Greenspan, the founder of research group Quantum Economics, wrote in a note.

"The first instinct that many had was that perhaps they're trying to protect the consumer from scams. However, this wouldn't make much sense given that Google and Facebook have already had a crypto advertising ban last year that has long since been reversed, likely due to regulatory clarity in the U.S. where it was found that bitcoin and ethereum are neither securities nor scams."

Greenspan added he is now "officially boycotting YouTube" due to the crypto-purge.

Google, along with the likes of social media giant Facebook, has been increasingly looking to financial services to bolster advertisement revenue in recent years, with public opinion moving against ad-funded business models.

Last month, Google, in partnership with U.S. banking giant Citigroup, said it's planning to launch its own fully-fledged "smart checking" bank accounts via Google Paypiling pressure on bitcoin developers to improve user experienceandadoption or face redundancy.

Meanwhile, the bitcoin price has climbed this year,largely due to interest in bitcoin and crypto from the world's biggest technology companieswith others,including the likes of iPhone-maker Apple and online retailer Amazon, branching out into traditional financial services.

The bitcoin price has stagnated recently after surging higher earlier in the year though it remains ... [+] around double where it began 2019.

Google's decision to take action against bitcoin and cryptocurrency-related content on YouTube has caused some to call for an alternative.

"It may be time the crypto community take a stab at its own blockchain-enabled censorship-resistant social media platform," Changpeng Zhao, the founder and chief executive of bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange Binance, said via Twitter.

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Googles YouTube Goes To War With Bitcoin And Crypto - Forbes

What The Cryptocurrency Craze Of The Past Can Teach Us About The CBD Craze Of The Present – Greenwich Time

Photo: Andy | Getty Images

What The Cryptocurrency Craze Of The Past Can Teach Us About The CBD Craze Of The Present

As a young, successful angle investor,Chris Hollod has his Spidey Sensefinely tuned to the next big things in the marketoften long before us mortals have even heard of them. Case in point: He was an early investor in Uber, Airbnb, and Pinterest and, in 2013, he invested in bitcoin anddid quite well before that bubble burst.

Now his focus is on what he describes as "startups who are at the convergence of culture and wellness," which includes many emerging CBD brands.

Hollod sees many similaritiesboth good and badbetween the current CBD boom and the cryptocurrency boom of yore. Here, he shares his wisdom.

Image credit: Courtesy of Chris Hollod

I grew up in Atlanta and went to Vanderbilt.I took an investment banking job with Wachovia in Charlotte. Everything was going well until the market crashed in 2008, and my entire team was laid off. But, in hindsight, I now realize that this was one of the best things that happened to me. With my newfound freedom, I spontaneously booked a flight to LA and havent looked back since.

When I arrived in LA in 2009, I started working for Ron Burkle [a world-renown billionaire investor]. He asked me to manage A-Grade, which was his new venture capital fund with Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary, and I quickly discovered my passion for venture investing. That was a life-changing moment for me.I ended up doing more than 100 deals with Ashton. We were truly at the forefront of the consumer-tech boom and invested in companies likes Uber, Airbnb, Pinterest, Spotify, Houzz, Warby Parker, Nest, and Casper.

While running A-Grade, I also started to handle all of Rons personal venture investments and became his Traveling Chief of Staff. We traveled the world together nonstop for six years. We also started another venture fund with our friend DA Wallach, called Inevitable Ventures, where we invested in companies like Thrive Market and Memphis Meats.

But, by the end of 2017, I was craving simplicity and freedom. So I quit my job to focus on my personal hobbies as well as my own angel investing. I launched my own company, Hollod Holdings, and have been investing in consumer start-ups at the convergence of culture and wellness. So far, Ive invested in a variety of different companies including Recess, Dirty Lemon, Matchabar, Mud/Wtr, Magic Spoon, and JuneShine. At the moment, Im most excited about CBD and alternative alcohol.

Through all of my tech investments with Ashton, we caught wind of bitcoin at a very early stage. I luckily bought bitcoin in January 2013 when it was only $15 a coin. Fast-forward to the end of 2017, and I sold the majority of my position for $15,000 a coin, which was the best return of my career. I could invest for the rest of my life, and Ill never see another 1,000x return like that. Its crazy! I also used the returns to start day-trading a bunch of other digital currencies.

Overall, it definitely taught me how to better understand and predict speculative bubbles, because it was the first true bubble that I experienced from start to finish. No matter how much research I did or how much I learned, I realized that both psychological and sociological factors would always transcend fundamentals. I saw so much activity based on either herd mentality or FOMO-based investing, which are two of my least favorite things in the investing world. Before the ultimate price collapse, it seemed like most people were simply investing based on anecdotal evidence. Everyone was so eager to believe all of the hype because they all wanted to make a quick buck. Thats obviously not a sustainable recipe for long-term success.

My obsession with CBD started in January 2018, when California officially made recreational cannabis legal. My girlfriend and I started hitting the various dispensaries in our hood so that we could better understand all of the different trends. I was immediately blown away by the endless variety of products, but I never truly found enjoyment in THC. Thats when I was fortuitously introduced to CBD. I became so intrigued by CBD that my girlfriend started slow-cooking cannabis flower with coconut oil in order to make our own homemade oils and balms.

I started learning more and more about the compound through my personal consumption, and I quickly saw the unlimited upside potential from a business perspective. If you think about it, CBD offers a universal value proposition. Namely, a more stress-free and healthy existence. In my ideal investment scenario, my hope is that CBD, as an active ingredient, can potentially become as ubiquitous as caffeine.

I really like how the legal landscape continues to shift in our favor, which ultimately entices more consumers into the space, which in turn attracts more entrepreneurs. It becomes a virtuous cycle of simultaneous supply and demand increase.

I still think its early days though. In the last poll I read, 56 percent of adults did not know or were confused about the differences between THC and CBD. Theres still a large educational hurdle, but I think the industry is on the right track.

CBD initially began gaining mainstream attention in 2013, but the current hype is absolutely undeniable. The industry is valued at roughly $2 billionright now, but various research reports expect the industry to increase in size to upwards of $20bn by 2025. Thats serious growth! I think the current craze is based on a confluence of four trends, including a changing legal landscape, permeation of broader health and wellness trends, rising anxiety rates, and increased innovation in the sector. The official passing of the Farm Bill at the end of last year was obviously a pivotal moment for CBD. Not only did the bill make hemp production legal, but it also helped remove the general stigma associated with cannabis-based compounds. If you look at our society, anxiety is the most common mental illness, and its affecting people of all ages. CBD can help, as long as its legal, accessible, and standardized.

When I first moved to LA in 2009, most of the health and wellness trends were confined to the coasts, but you now see these trends quickly permeating the rest of the country. CBD is simply the next step in the health and wellness conversation. Lastly, I think the increased productization is helping fuel the movement. A tincture can admittedly be a bit intimidating to some people, but now you have access to an endless array of products from lotions to gummies to capsules.

I actually think there are a lot of similarities across the two seemingly disparate trends. First and foremost, because both trends are at the bleeding edge of innovation, they create a dichotomy with the public. The trends are either met with fear or curiosity. The fear is then magnified through all of the unsubstantiated anecdotes and exaggerations, which fuel eye-popping growth in the early days. Remember when people were saying that bitcoin was going to change the world, the internet, and our financial system all at once? Thats such a huge claim that can only be met with extreme skepticism from the average person. Similarly, so many people are saying that CBD is a magic elixir that can cure all of your problems. In both cases, I do not think these heightened hyperboles are beneficial. Because when people refer to CBD as a cure-all, the critics will draw parallels from previous miracle cure manias and thus dismiss CBD as snake oil.

Also, in both instances, the legal landscape has not caught up to the progressive trends. Both industries are still relatively unregulated, which creates huge barriers for mainstream adoption. There is also a large educational chasm that needs to be addressed. The crypto trend took a hit when uneducated people started experimenting with it. I think the same is true with CBD. Too many people are testing products without fully understanding what theyre putting in their bodies.

Its also funny that both cryptocurrencies and CBD seemingly offer universal value propositions. Crypto can make you rich (and remove all of your financial problems), and CBD will make you feel amazing (and remove all of your health problems). Overall, there needs to be more specificity, education, and uniformity across both industries.

When it comes to differences, Id like to think that CBD is way more approachable and accessible than bitcoin. When I bought my first bitcoin, it was ridiculously cumbersome and tedious. And now its expensive. But when it comes to CBD, you can spend $5 on a well-made drink like Recess for example. For the sake of simplicity, you can think of CBD like a supplement or vitamin, which at least evokes some level of comfort and is grounded in biology. Whereas the crypto trend was almost impossible to comprehend and only existed virtually. Hell, I traded the stuff for years, and Im still nowhere close to being an expert.

I think we can definitely extract a lot of valuable lessons from the recent crypto rollercoaster ride. We quickly learned that when you combine a relatively amorphous legal landscape with limited government regulation and significant consumer anecdotal evidence, you get a recipe for insane volatility. Just as we witnessed the SEC and IRS crack-down on cryptos, I think the FDA and FTC are going to make big waves in the CBD world. And at this point, I welcome their involvement. There definitely needs to be more standardization and transparency in the sector. During the crypto boom, I had so many random unsophisticated friends that were trading very esoteric coins without properly doing their homework. And guess what, most of them got burned. I think that activity is now analogous to all of the baristas and bartenders that are sporadically dosing coffees and cocktails with CBD. All of these products need to be better regulated, because a few bad experiences can potentially taint the entire market.

We also saw a ton of crypto trading platforms shut down because of bad behavior. When it comes to CBD, I think the trading platforms are analogous to the cannabis dispensaries. Some of the dispensaries are amazing, but there are others that are clearly sketchy and not operating at the appropriate standard. So, if a customer buys sub-par CBD product, their image of CBD could be forever polluted.

The cryptocurrency trend benefited significantly from high-profile brand ambassadors, whether celebrities were talking about it or C-level finance executives. So my hope is that more brand ambassadors infiltrate the CBD world to further bolster the positive image of the compound. Brand ambassadors are great at both educating the general public and also helping to remove stigmas.

It was also helpful when reputable banks and companies started accepting cryptocurrencies as a legitimized form of payment. So, in terms of CBD, I think it will be hugely beneficial to the overall industry once more doctors get involved and there are more clinical studies.

We also saw a dramatic proliferation of digital currencies that were riding the coattails of bitcoin. I think the same phenomena will occur with CBD. There are more than 100 cannabinoids in the cannabis plant, so for the sake of my analogy, if CBD is Bitcoin, maybe CBN and CBG could become the next two popular compounds. With that said, Im really excited to meet with entrepreneurs that are pushing the limits in the industry. But, just like the crypto craze, Im always wary of the entrepreneurs entering the space to make a quick buck. And there are a lot of them. There were so many horrible Initial Currency Offerings (ICUs) which ultimately contributed to the crypto market crash. Im now afraid that too many people are incorrectly and selfishly slapping a CBD logo on their products in order to capitalize on the hype.

Lastly, during the crypto craze, the most successful people looked deeper than just the superficial coin and began thinking outside the box. The smart people were focused on learning about and leveraging blockchain, which is the underlying technology that powers bitcoin. Based on that learning, its easy to simply market CBD as a superficial de-stress product, but Im excited about the entrepreneurs who are diving deeper into the biology of the compound and understanding the potential within the pharmaceutical realm. At the end of the day, whether its crypto or CBD, I think progress will inevitably prevail.

The first brand that my girlfriend and I fell in love with was Papa & Barkley. We love their bath soaks and we're very impressed with their authenticity, transparency, and memorable backstory. Im a huge fan of Recess, which was my first CBD investment. I was lucky to have invested in Recesss seed round, and now the company is the leading CBD beverage company. Recesss branding and marketing strategies are unique in that they seek to capture and define a feeling. I think the company has a ton of mainstream potential given its relatively low price point and approachability. Im currently advising my friends company, PearlCBD, which I think is going to set a new standard in the space. PearlCBD will be offering premium Pharma-grade products with total customer transparency spanning from the companys organic hemp farms to its FDA-registered lab. I think this will be vital in the wake of all the unlicensed and untested products on the market.

Im always testing new products on a weekly basis, but when it comes to simple recommendations to friends, I really enjoy the product offerings from Life Elements, Plant People, Juna, and Sagely. I like it when entrepreneurs experiment with different CBD-inspired formulations, whether its adding adaptogens, honey, or even botanicals. I also think its important to define the customer experience, so I respect brands that actively specify the use-case of the product, whether its for relief, energy, or sleep. Lastly, Im really impressed by Mendi, which is Megan Rapinoes new brand. Mendi is focused on the high-end market and is educating athletes on the benefits of CBD for recovery and pain management.

Funny enough, I actually start with Instagram. When I first started investing, I would attend all of the conferences and demo days and take meetings with every single entrepreneur. But now, I think Ive found a more effective and efficient vetting process. I like how all facets of a company can nicely coalesce within an Instagram page. Its such a digestible and powerful format. A companys Instagram page allows me to quickly measure branding, messaging, connectivity, and aesthetic. Since this has become the first step in my vetting process, Im now able to efficiently review several companies in just a few minutes.

If the company passes my Instagram test, then I always want to sample the product so that I can better understand the taste, ingredients, nutrition, and packaging. Ill never invest in a pre-launch company or a company that I have not yet sampled. I always want my diligence process to be deeply authentic.

Lastly, my final step is to meet with the entrepreneur. At this point in my career, I only want to work with people that I share a connection with, so I take all of my meetings at my house. I really want to get to know each founder and make sure that I can actually help them with their business.

Ive received a lot of great advice over the course of my career, and I was incredibly lucky to have two amazing mentors in Ron Burkle and Ashton Kutcher. Ron taught me a lot over eight years. I actually kept an active memo pad to record all of his amazing insights and pieces of advice. One of Rons quotes, which I think is both timely and transferable to the cannabis entrepreneur is, Id rather have to slow you down than speed you up. Ron told me this many times, and I felt very empowered by it, especially since I came from such a bureaucratic and structured career in investment banking. As an entrepreneur, youll always be confronted with your fears and insecurities as well as potential barriers, but you must keep pressing forward. Dont slow down. Kick down doors. Speed is critical.

Like Ron, Ashton is also extremely insightful. He helped me make the shift from the scarcity paradigm to the abundance paradigm. When I started out in my career, I was super competitive. Im an expert negotiator and always viewed business intersections as zero-sum games. And I initially brought this scarcity mentality into the world of venture capital, which I quickly realized is more predicated on camaraderie. By migrating to the abundance paradigm, I soon realized that I could succeed while also helping others succeed as well. It might sound trite, but at the end of the day, you want to interact with people that you like. I think this is relevant advice for all of the CBD entrepreneurs since the industry is so nascent and there is still a large consumer educational hurdle. As they say, a rising tide raises all boats, so I think it behooves cannabis entrepreneurs to play nicely and cooperate, at least for the time being

Related:What The Cryptocurrency Craze Of The Past Can Teach Us About The CBD Craze Of The PresentCustomers Are Ready for CBD, But Is E-Commerce?Report: CBD Market To Hit $22 Billion By 2022

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Crypto Legislation 2020: Analysis Of 21 Cryptocurrency And Blockchain Bills In Congress – Forbes

As of the end of 2019, Congress has introduced 21 bills addressing cryptocurrency and blockchain policy that could be considered in 2020 by the second year of the 116th Congress. Indeed, U.S. legislators have been busy examining the landscape of how this new technology has been and could be impacting businesses, consumers, and society at large. Although Congress introduced a total of 22 bills that involve cryptocurrencies or blockchain technology, there are three main public policy areas that will likely be the continued focus of the 116th Congress into 2020.

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 31: The Capitol dome is reflected in the compass on the East Plaza of the ... [+] U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The first main public policy issue relates to how cryptocurrency might be used in a wide variety of very dangerous activities, such as evading U.S. sanctions, human trafficking and terrorist use. In addition to these concerns, many legislators are also looking for the U.S. to explore how the unique tracking capabilities of cryptocurrencies as well as blockchain technology may assist U.S. government agencies in the pursuit of bad actions in the activities mentioned.

The second and most often reported type of public policy issue is how companies can use cryptocurrency and blockchain in business models within the current regulatory framework. The size of the United States economy and complexity of its regulatory structure on both a federal and state level can be stifling for private sector innovations.

Finally, the policy issue of how distributed ledger technologies might be utilized by the U.S. government itself is addressed by the legislation that has been introduced so far, particularly as other countries have focused an intense amount of time, effort, and money on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.

The table below shows how the three main public policy categories were determined, with eight of the bills seeking address the use of cryptocurrencies by terrorists, money launderers, or human / sex traffickers, nine of the bills address regulatory clarity for blockchain tokens, and finally, five of the bills focus on the use of blockchain technology by the U.S. Government.

Breakdown of U.S. Congressional Legislation on Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Policy Issues

Breakdown Of Public Policy Areas By Congress On Crypto And Blockchain

Summary of Public Policy Issues Addressing Blockchain and Cryptocurrency in the 116th Congress

Use Of Cryptocurrencies by Terrorists, Money Launderers and Human / Sex Traffickers

As with the creation of the Internet, concerns were raised that this was something only for illicit use. As the Internet has evolved, there is certainly the benefit of communication around the globe. Since the technological net is cast over the worlds population, those who are criminals, whether in terrorist organizations or part of the leadership of countries such as North Korea, ways that these criminals may keep their activities in the darkness are always a major concern.

Certainly, a disruptive technology that creates an entire new class of money with value that can be transferred over the Internet and not through traditional banking institutions, raises the spectrum of what could go wrong. This area has seen a total of eight bills addressing these concerns. One bill, the Verdad Act, addresses the concern of cryptocurrencies and the evasion of sanctions by countries, with two bills addressing the use of virtual currencies in human trafficking and three bills looking at prevention of terrorists or money launderers using these digital currencies. Finally, two separate bills look on the other side of the blockchain token, which is that these cryptocurrencies are tracked by the same technology that is used to verify the transactions, that cannot be altered. While the technology specifically was created to be unalterable in terms of the ledger and the design of this was to ensure there could not be double-spending of digital currencies and to create trust in the system, the benefit of having this history of transactions in a pseudonymous way - where although there is a degree of anonymity, the transactions can be traced back to the users.

Regulatory Clarity for Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Companies

This issue overall is the most painful for the United States. While the country is the worlds economic leader, disruptive technologies such as cryptocurrency and blockchain do not seem to have mixed well with the current regulatory environment. As a result, the concept of innovation flight is a top concern for the country. Additionally, the concerns with respect to how to protect consumers in what is still a Wild West atmosphere for an industry are have been top of mind. The state-by-state money transmission licenses is addressed to help provide clarity across the U.S. at the federal level, and the lack of clarity around taxation was addressed, until the most recent U.S. Treasury guidance attempted to provide better clarity for paying taxes on cryptocurrencies. Finally, the introduction of Facebooks new Libra Association and the idea of a global payments system administered in Switzerland led to some high-profile hearings in Congress, as well as a couple of bills specifically addressing the concerns of a large company introducing a financial product to the masses.

Use of Blockchain Technology in Government

There are five bills that specifically look to increase and explore the use of Blockchain Technology. The Blockchain Promotion Act of 2019 focuses on how government agencies can explore the use of blockchain. More specifically, two bills focus on specific uses of blockchain - one with the Export-Import Banks use of the technology and another with applying blockchain to Finding Orphan-disease Remedies With Antifungal Research and Development. Finally, the Rescue Act for Black and Community Banks - my personal favorite - looks to explore how blockchain technology could be used to increase the investment of low-income individuals to invest in startup or crowdfunded companies. This resonates with the hope of many entrepreneurs in the blockchain industry who believe this technology can help spread the wealth to diverse communities. Finally, a bill that is the only one of the 22 bills that became law this year was the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, that includes a requirement for the Undersecretary of Research and Engineering at the Department of Defense to provide a briefing to Congress on how the U.S. military might look at and analyze blockchain technology.

Authors Note: As well as a Forbes.com Contributor, I am the Founder, President, and CEO of the Value Technology Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Washington D.C. focused on increasing the Research and Development of Value technologies such as blockchain, cryptocurrency, and distributed ledger technology in the United States and other open, free societies. The research, table, and graph included in this article is a product of the Value Technology Foundations work thanks to the generous support of its donors.

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Top five cryptocurrency guides of 2019 – Yahoo Finance

Whether youre new to cryptocurrency or an experienced trader with years of experience, our guides offer you insights, tips, and support.

Below, we take a look at our readers favourite cryptocurrency guides from 2019.

Our readers favourite cryptocurrency guide from 2019 was all about predicting Bitcoins future value. This guide covers how to use a stock-to-flow model as an effective analysis tool for future predictions.

According to the stock-to-flow model, traders could see Bitcoins price mooning around the next halving event. Discover what the model is, how to use it, and how it can inform your trading decisions.

This cryptocurrency guide has proved popular with our readers who are new to buying Bitcoin. With details about how to keep your Bitcoin secure, this guide explains what a private key is, how it works, and why its important that you never share your private key with someone else.

Your private key is essential for securing your Bitcoin. By losing it, or giving it away, you lose access to your wallet and by default your cryptocurrency. Whoever gains access to your private key would control your wallet and coins.

Read this guide to find out how to protect your private key.

Now that the cryptocurrency industry is well established, it seems that there are more newcomers than ever before. Whether they want to start trading or if theyre simply showing an interest in different coins, What is a cryptocurrency? still remains one of the biggest questions asked.

This guide gives you all the answers you need. It explains what a cryptocurrency is, provides a brief history of the industry, and gives an introduction to blockchain the underlying technology powering crypto.

If youre looking for a comprehensive introduction to cryptocurrency without a focus on specific coins, this is the guide for you.

If youre looking to get into trading or if youre looking to enhance your trading abilities, this cryptocurrency guide will help you on your way.

The ultimate key to trading is risk management and choosing the right time to buy, but using tools will help to inform your trading decisions.

Some tools help you to compare orders across exchanges to assess the overall confidence in the market. Take a look at which trading tools you should be using and how they can assist your trading performance.

The over-the-counter trading industry is one thats easily misunderstood. Thats why this is one of our most popular cryptocurrency guides. It explains the OTC procedure, how buy and sell orders are fulfilled, and what role escrow agents play in the trading process.

Discover whether or not OTC deals affect the price on exchanges, how the rate of discounts can be impacted, and whether or not the OTC market can give you any insights into market sentiment.

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A Look at The Cryptocurrency Act 2020 – Securities.io

This week, a group of congressmen put forth a new cryptocurrency bill labeled the Cryptocurrency Act 2020. The goal of the new legislation is to provide additional clarification on digital asset regulations. The bill has some wide-sweeping regulations that, if voted into law, could reshape the entire crypto sphere moving forward.

The Cryptocurrency Act 2020 was introduced by U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ). The senator stated that it was his desire to attribute regulatory clarity to the market. Currently, much of the crypto space is vague in terms of regulations. Consumers and lawmakers are in a debate over what agencies are responsible for regulations of what types of cryptocurrencies.

The new legislation begins with a categorization of cryptocurrencies into three main groups. These groups are then used to determine what agency is responsible for the creation of regulations and enforcement.

The first class described in the new bill are cryptocurrencies. Cryptos include Bitcoin, Litecoin, and any other cryptocurrencies that dont fall under the current securities regulations. The bill classifies these tokens as any crypto that includes representations of United States currency or synthetic derivatives resting on a blockchain or decentralized cryptographic ledger.

The bill also states that any synthetic derivatives determined by decentralized oracles or smart contracts fall into this category. Interestingly, this categorization places reserve-backed digital assets such as stablecoins directly into the cryptocurrency category.

The next class of cryptocurrency described in the bill are crypto-commodities. These tokens are economic goods or services that markets treat with no regard for who produced the goods or services. A key aspect of these tokens is the fact that they contain some form of substantial fungibility. Fungible assets are interchangeable such as the US dollar. Basically, any two dollars are equal in value. Finally, these assets must reside on a blockchain or decentralized cryptographic ledger to fall into this classification.

The final type of coin described in the bill is crypto-securities. These tokens are any coin that fails the Howey Test. This class of crypto can include tokenized debt, equity, and derivative instruments that live on a blockchain or decentralized ledger. Security tokens are among the newest type of cryptocurrency. Thee tokens seek to bring integrated compliance into the market.

Interestingly, the bill differentiates between security tokens that include a synthetic derivative both operated and registered with the Department of the Treasury as a money services business in compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act. Additionally, these coins must adhere to the strict anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism, and screening requirements of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, as well as, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

Aside from an attempt to clarify the market, the Cryptocurrency Act 2020 lays out what government agencies are responsible for each class of token. If passed, these agencies will gain regulatory control over the assets in their jurisdiction. Additionally, these agencies will be responsible for informing the public on the appropriate licenses, certifications, or registrations necessary to participate in these markets.

The three regulatory bodies mentioned in the bill include the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). These groups would gain the sole authority over their respective digital asset types.

The new strategy would place those tokens deemed as cryptocurrencies under the regulations of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). For its part, FinCEN must maintain a public record of all licenses, certifications, and registrations required to create, issue, or trade digital assets.

Additionally, FinCEN would need to collaborate with the Secretary of the Treasury to enforce AML and KYC protocols in the market. Primarily, regulators want to develop a way to trace all cryptocurrency transactions. This final task could prove to be a real choir as many cryptocurrencies have privacy enabling features which would make this task almost impossible.

The bill keeps security tokens under the watchful eye of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC recently began cracking down on what they considered illegal securities offerings from the 2017 ICO craze. As of late, the SEC prosecuted multiple firms such as Paragon and most recently, the startup Blockchain of Things Inc. (BCOT). Currently, the SEC assumes jurisdiction over any tokens that fail the Howey Test.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission would gain jurisdiction of the crypto-commodities class. The group will need to develop the framework for these tokens from the ground up if the legislation passes. Analysts believe crypto-commodities are to see substantial growth over the next few years.

Many in the cryptocommunity point to the new legislation as a means to combat Facebooks developing digital asset, Libra. Ever since Facebook announced its goals to produce a stablecoin that will operate on its network, lawmakers have been in a rush to configure some form of framework to contain the companys potentially game-changing product.

In the past, multiple senators called for Libra to see categorization under securities. Earlier in the year, a group of bipartisan U.S. Senators proposed a bill that would place all stablecoins into the securities category. The bill the Token Taxonomy Act of 2019 would firmly place Facebooks latest crypto under the regulatory supervision of the SEC.

This latest development showcases just how far cryptocurrencies have come in the last decade. Now, lawmakers are scrambling to develop some way to maintain control over these decentralized currencies. In the end, you may find that the technology operates in a manner that makes enforcement of these regulations nearly impossible. For now, the cryptocommunity watches and waits as lawmakers scramble for options.

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Why XRP Isnt Surging in Tandem With Rest of the Cryptocurrency Market – newsBTC

XRP was not among the gainers as the cryptocurrency market attracted capital of up to $12 billion in a day.

The Ripple blockchains native asset slumped by up to 2.19 percent on Monday to establish an intraday low of $0.194. The downside move negated XRPs gains registered during the Sunday trading session by 1.38 percent. At the same time, it pushed the cryptocurrencys 24-hour adjusted performance down by 0.77 percent.

Ripples XRP token correcting lower after spending Sunday in a positive area | Source: TradingView.com, BitStamp

In contrast, other top coins were faring better. Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, was up by 5.41 percent on a 24-hour adjusted timeframe as of 1300 UTC. The second-largest Ethereum was similarly trading 2.86 percent higher, showing little-to-no signs of upside exhaustion.

The intraday losses in XRP closely follow Ripples announcement of raising $200 million in a Series C funding round. The San Francisco firm, which offers blockchain-based cross border remittance services to banks and similar payment institutions, also valued itself at $10 billion after the fundraiser.

Nevertheless, the news did little to improve XRPs interim aspects. The token, whose value plunged by up to 52 percent on a year-to-date scale, registered a decent 3.86 percent gain on the day of the announcement. But it failed to extend the upside momentum and remained mostly flat during the sessions that followed later.

The move came as a shocker to analysts who had expected XRP to draw gains after Ripples high-profile fundraiser. CNBC Fast Money hostKate Rooney pointed out the tokens long-standing underperformance. She further reminded that Ripple, which remains the majority stakeholder of XRP, has swayed investors due to its quarterly XRP sell-offs.

Ripple also uses XRP as a so-called bridge currency for cross-border transactions, Ms. Rooney added. XRP had skyrocketed alongside Bitcoin two years ago. Its now down roughly 50% this year, while Bitcoin has actually rallied 80%.

Renowned crypto trader and market analyst Tone Vays also made serious remarks against Ripple in a recent interview. He said that he neither sees value in the company nor in its cryptocurrency XRP, adding that Ripple continues to dump XRP tokens on the rest of the token holders, which gives them an unfair and illegal advantage over other startups.

Against the ongoing FUD against Ripple, some still believe the company is a Silicon Valley unicorn in making.

Michael Arrington, a partner at Arrington XRP Capital a Seattle-based digital asset management firm, defended Ripple by bringing its investors psyche into the conversation. He recognized the companys ability to attract big names such as Tetragon, SBI Holdings, and VC firm Route 66 Ventures as its leading investors.

If youre perplexed as to why investors would aggressively invest in Ripple at a $10b valuation, the problem maybe you, said Mr. Arrington. Or you could just keep believing youre so smart and theyre so dumb.

Kevin Cage an XRP regular on Crypto Twitter said he will keep holding the cryptocurrency regardless of the FUD.

Too much potential upside to ignore, asserted Mr. Cage.

The XRP/USD pair was trading at 0.196 at the time of this writing.

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