Category Archives: Bitcoin

It is easy for those of us who live in the U.S. to see Bitcoin, and altcoins in general, only through the prism of the U.S. Dollar. The Dollar is, after all, still the worlds reserve currency, and is what most regard as real money. It could be, though, that the real value and potential of Bitcoin is to be found elsewhere, in developing countries and among the billions of people who currently dont have access to banking services that we take for granted.

There have always been people who distrust their own currency and banking system, even in developed countries where the official exchange medium has a history of relative soundness; gold bugs are nothing new. That position is understandable following the events of 2007-8, but most observers would probably consider it an extreme one. Those who have not lived with the luxury of a major currency, however, have many more reasons to embrace alternatives.

Taken as a whole, governments in developing counties hardly have a reputation for fiscal and monetary responsibility. Moreover, even when the best efforts are made, the value of currencies in Third World countries is always in the hands of the market. Central banks in such countries are simply not powerful enough to impose their will on a foreign exchange market that has a daily turnover of over $350 billion, and extreme volatility is always too close for comfort. For people who have lived every day in that situation, the volatility of Bitcoin against major currencies is not that worrying. It is certainly not enough to outweigh the many advantages.

Even those who cannot seem to get their heads around the basic concept of a virtual currency can easily understand the point of the blockchain as a payment system. However, the ability to transfer funds instantly at minimal cost may seem like a marginal advantage over existing payment systems to some people who are comfortable with the existing banking and payment infrastructure in the developed world. To somebody who has been denied access to those systems for most of their life, though, it is revolutionary.

For a person in the Third World of an entrepreneurial bent, Bitcoin and the blockchain solve two basic problems. Firstly, compared to their own currency, Bitcoin offers the possibility of building wealth insulated from the corrosive effects of inflation. Right now, given the dramatic popping bubble that we have seen in BTC, that possibility looks remote. It will, however, take only a relatively short period of stability to make the currency more attractive than many local options. Now that we are back to roughly pre-bubble levels, that is a distinct possibility.

What the blockchain offers, on the other hand, is the chance to participate in commerce, either at a national or even international level. In order to do so, it is not necessary to have a bank account, just a phone. As strange as it would have seemed just a few years ago, that is something that the majority of people have, even in the poorest of countries. There are, of course, some mobile micro banking systems available to those people, but when both traditional and alternative systems are considered side by side and without one having the advantage of familiarity, the speed and low cost of transacting in Bitcoin looks like a much bigger advantage. We are creatures of habit, so starting with a new technology often makes more sense than switching to it.

The world of Bitcoin is prone to hyperbole. Supporters have a vision of there someday being only one global currency, resulting in the destruction of the existing order in banking. Opponents apparently see some scam or inherent evil in BTC and anticipate it self-destructing in short order. As is often the case in polarized debates, the truth is probably at neither extreme. There is no reason that Bitcoin cannot exist parallel to the current systems, offering a real alternative. When and if that situation is realized, it is the adoption of Bitcoin, or some future version of it, by entrepreneurs in the Third World that will fundamentally change lives and be truly revolutionary.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

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Bitcoin's True Revolutionary Potential

A bitcoin mine near the Arctic Circle is to start using 16 nanometer chips to improve mining efficiency. KnCMiner said the technology would make mining cheaper and allow it to increase production.

The move from 20nm to 16nm reduces the die and transistor size, improving the power efficiency of the chip and cutting the cost of power-intensive mining. The new technology should protect bitcoin mines against fluctuations in the value of the cryptocurrency and the challenge of mining bitcoin.

The Stockholm-based firm has also secured $15m (10m) in Series B funding led by Accel Partners. It said the extra money would allow it to expand and future-proof its mining operation.

KnCMiner CEO Sam Cole said the use of more advanced proprietary hardware was allowing bitcoin mines to cut costs. He also dismissed concerns that it was becoming too expensive to mine bitcoin.

"We do not think the cost is prohibitively high, if we did we'd turn our farms off. We're also developing our own hardware in-house, using several proprietary techniques to achieve higher efficiency."

He said that at the current rate of exchange (158 is equal to one bitcoin at the time of writing) there would be "no problems". Cole explained that KnCMiner was also able save money by using natural cooling as its bitcoin mines are all based either in or near the Arctic Circle.

KnCMiner worked with Taiwanese component manufacturer Alchip to create its new 16nm chip, which has been specially designed for bitcoin mining. Bitcoin mines around the world are investing heavily in new chip technology.

KnCMiner's new chip is the first of its kind to enter production. The company has generated over $100m (66m) in revenue since it launched in 2013 and plans to invest a further $150m over the next 18 months to improve and expand its services.

Cole said that KNCMiner's proprietary mining system would speed up the hashing process while reducing power consumption. He added that focusing on the bitcoin algorithm was also keeping his company ahead of its competitors.

"People tend to overestimate the impact of new technology in the short-term, but greatly underestimate the impact in the longer term. We're in this for the long-term, believing that Bitcoin technology will make steady inroads and increase in usefulness as well as in value over many, many years to come."

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Arctic bitcoin mine switches to 16nm chip to boost efficiency

Bitcoin Shop, Inc: Building a Universal Digital Currency Platform and Ecosystem
Watch a presentation by Bitcoin Shop #39;s CEO Charles Allen, recorded on January 29, 2015 at the RedChip Global Online CEO Conference. Bitcoin Shop, Inc (OTCQB: BTCS) plans to build a universal...

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Bitcoin Shop, Inc: Building a Universal Digital Currency Platform and Ecosystem - Video

SmartMoney Silicon Valley:Venture Capital Bitcoin Crowdfunding Angel Investing #smartmoneysv
SmartMoney Silicon Valley 2014 mashup Venture Capital, Bitcoin, Crowdfunding, Angel Investing, Venture Capital with Bob Pavey Emeritus Partner Morgenthaler; Saad Khan Partner CMEA IT; Eghosa.

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SmartMoney Silicon Valley:Venture Capital Bitcoin Crowdfunding Angel Investing #smartmoneysv - Video

Bill Gates in 1995 - Sounds Like How we Talk About Bitcoin Now!
Shared by Bitcoin Aliens - claim your free bitcoin: http://www.bitcoinaliens.com This is an interview from David Letterman in 1995, talking about the internet and how it would take off in...

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Bill Gates in 1995 - Sounds Like How we Talk About Bitcoin Now! - Video

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How To Hack Hyperbits in Bitcoin Millionaire ROOT
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