Page 78«..1020..77787980..90100..»

Category Archives: Cryptocurrency

Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sam Altman wants to scan your eyes in exchange for free cryptocurrency – CNBC

Posted: October 21, 2021 at 10:50 pm

Worldcoin's orb-shaped devices scan people's eyes in exchange for cryptocurrency.

Worldcoin

It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie metallic orbs that scan people's eyes to pay them in digital currency.

That's what tech investor Sam Altman has been working on for his new start-up, a company called Worldcoin. Launched out of "stealth" on Thursday, Worldcoin promises to hand out free cryptocurrency to people who verify their accounts by taking an iris scan.

Worldcoin says it's already attracted $25 million in funding from Silicon Valley investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Coinbase and billionaire LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, giving the firm a $1 billion valuation.

Altman, CEO of artificial intelligence group OpenAI and former president of start-up accelerator Y Combinator, co-founded the company with theoretical physics student Alex Blania and Max Novendstern, a former investment associate at Bridgewater Associates.

The idea seems outlandish at first. Free money? And all I need to do is have my eyes scanned? It sounds too good to be true.

However, Worldcoin's founders say it's about expanding the reach of cryptocurrencies and financial services more broadly to the masses. Less than 3% of the global population are crypto users, according to virtual currency exchange Crypto.com.

"Cryptocurrency is a very powerful thing," Blania, Worldcoin's CEO, told CNBC. "It will widen the boundaries of the economy in general and give many people access."

Worldcoin has already shipped its orb-shaped devices to people in 12 countries. Testers get users to sign up by having their iris scanned. The image is then encrypted and becomes a unique code, while the original data is deleted to protect users' privacy. Following that, users are given a free share of Worldcoin's cryptocurrency.

A tester operating one of Worldcoin's orbs in Chile.

Worldcoin

"We designed the whole system to be fundamentally privacy-preserving," Blania said. "The iris code itself is the only thing leaving the orb. There's no big database of biometric data."

The company has so far amassed over 100,000 users globally already, and is onboarding 700 more each week. Worldcoin aims to hit 1 billion users by 2023.

Which raises a big question how exactly is Worldcoin meant to be used?

Well, one early feature of the project will be a digital wallet that lets users store their crypto and make payments. But more broadly, Blania hopes to attract developers who can build apps on top of its system; apps "that we don't see today and that are really hard to build today because very few people hold crypto."

"Network effects are these very coveted things that are incredibly big," Blania said.

"You see this in Facebook. As soon as you suddenly have a billion people and everyday people holding something like that and using something like that, you as an entrepreneur can build completely new things."

One issue Worldcoin encountered early on, Blania says, is ensuring that people aren't able to cheat the system. He calls this problem "proof of person."

"The only solution for that problem, we found, was to build an orb," Worldcoin's boss said. "It's the most secure and privacy-preserving way we found to prove everyone in the world is unique."

It's a concept that has parallels to a universal basic income, or UBI, which has been promoted by Altman and several other high-profile figures in tech.

The idea is that, by handing out cash regularly to citizens for free, governments can mitigate the impacts of artificial intelligence and automation on workers.

Blania hinted that Worldcoin could be used as the "infrastructure" to carry out UBI at some point in the future."

Worldcoin co-founders Sam Altman and Alex Blania.

Worldcoin

"I'm personally very excited about UBI over the long term," Blania said. "I think it's a very hard thing to implement right now."

"We see ourselves as building this huge network of people where entrepreneurs can jump in and build applications like this. UBI is one of those, but building big financial, global companies is another big one."

Worldcoin isn't the only far-out project Altman has thrown his weight behind. In 2018, the millionaire tech entrepreneur paid $10,000 to a start-up called Nectome to have his brain preserved, scanned and uploaded into a computer simulation.

Worldcoin has built its system on Ethereum, the blockchain network behind the world's second-largest cryptocurrency. Blania hopes to tap into a fast-growing trend in crypto known as decentralized finance, or DeFi, which seeks to cut the middlemen out of traditional financial processes like lending and investing.

Worldcoin's launch comes at a time of renewed interest in cryptocurrencies as the prices of bitcoin and other digital coins have surged lately. Bitcoin, the world's largest virtual currency, notched a fresh record high above $66,000 on Wednesday, while ether, XRP and other tokens also climbed sharply.

Cryptocurrencies have gained a reputation for their involvement in fraudulent activity, with various pump-and-dump schemes duping amateur investors into buying tokens, only for the creators and insiders to make off with millions. But Blania insists Worldcoin isn't a scam.

"We are extremely transparent about everything we do," he said. "We will open source everything that is possible to open source."

Read the original post:
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sam Altman wants to scan your eyes in exchange for free cryptocurrency - CNBC

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sam Altman wants to scan your eyes in exchange for free cryptocurrency – CNBC

On the Heels of the Total Cryptocurrency Market Cap Hitting $2.6 Trillion, ZK International’s Subsidiary xSigma Launches Its Beta for Two Trading…

Posted: at 10:50 pm

WENZHOU, China, Oct. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ZK International Group Co., Ltd's (Nasdaq: ZKIN) ("ZKIN", "ZK International" or the "Company"), and its subsidiary xSigma Trading ("xSigma"), is pleased to announce that the Beta Launch of its two flagship trading platforms, "xSigma Trading" for CFD trading and "xSigma Trader" for Crypto, Crypto Options and Crypto derivatives.

(PRNewsfoto/ZK International Group Co., Ltd.)

XSigma Trading is a proprietary, robust, dynamic, interactive trading platform that focuses on CFD trading in global markets via its advanced, independent design and cutting edge technology. Through xSigma Trading, all traders can participate in the CFD marketplace and engage in the trading of various unique products and offerings including some of the most restricted stock lists in the marketplace.

XSigma Trader is a cutting edge Crypto, Crypto Options and Crypto derivatives platform allows users to actively assess and engage in the volatile crypto currency market. The platform allows participants to diversify their crypto currency risk by using products like immediate and short-term crypto options and derivatives. xSigma Trader plans to allow the offering of a large variety of crypto currencies and a marketplace for most new crypto listings to trade.

The launch of our Beta Launch is timely in the crypto world as we are witnessing significant events in the crypto space:

Bitcoin reached a new all-time high, shooting past $66,000, while ETH broke $4,000

The current cryptocurrency Market Cap reached $2.5 trillion according to Coinmarketcap[1]

In August open interest on bitcoin and Ether derivatives was $12.12 Billion according to cointelegraph[2]

Over $100 billion in derivatives are traded on a busy day according to research of Carnegie Melon University[3]

ProShares debuted on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Tuesday, and seeing trading volume of more than $1 billion on its full first day

[1] https://coinmarketcap.com/charts/%5B2%5D https://cointelegraph.com/news/cryptocurrency-derivatives-market-shows-growth-despite-regulatory-fud%5B3%5D https://www.cmu.edu/tepper/news/stories/2021/april/cryptocurrency-derivatives.html

Story continues

The CEO of xSigma Trading, Apan Sood states, "We, at xSigma, are very pleased and excited to launch the beta version of our core trading platforms at such and exciting time in the crypto space. We believe that xSigma's trading products will lead the trading community into the future of CFDs, cryptocurrencies and derivatives trading. Our platforms encompass a wide range of products that truly allow traders at all levels to access a much larger range of equity CFDs and crypto derivatives than what is available in most platforms today. xSigma's unique trading platforms provide traders with greater opportunities to take advantage of volatile markets while protecting themselves from market risk. Our goal is to create a unique and robust high matching platform that combines crypto derivatives & equity CFD's all in one trading solution. These systems have been designed as a crypto and CFD trading platform for both retail and institutional clients that will adopt crypto trading, lending, options & derivatives as well as US Equity CFD's all within one platform."

For further information about xSigma Trading's products contact us at: https://xsigma-trading.com/#contact-form

About ZK International Group Co., Ltd.

ZK International Group Co., Ltd. is a China-based engineering company building and investing in innovative technologies for the modern world. With a focus on designing and implementing next-generation solutions through industrial, environmental and software engineering, ZKIN owns 28 patents, 21 trademarks, 2 Technical Achievement Awards, and 10 National and Industry Standard Awards.

ZKIN's core business is to engineer and manufacture patented high-performance stainless steel and carbon steel pipe products that effectively deliver high quality, highly-sustainable and environmentally sound drinkable water to the Chinese, Asia and European markets. ZK International is Quality Management System Certified (ISO9001), Environmental Management System Certified (ISO1401), and a National Industrial Stainless Steel Production Licensee. It has supplied stainless steel pipelines for over 2,000 projects, which include the Beijing National Airport, the "Water Cube" and "Bird's Nest", which were venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ZK International is preparing to capitalize on the $850 Billion commitment made by the Chinese Government to improve the quality of water, which has been stated to be 70% unfit for human contact.

In 2018, ZKIN established its wholly-owned xSigma Corporation to develop innovative software solutions that support its core operations while exploring new opportunities in smart contracts, distributed ledgers, supply chain management and blockchain architecture. The xSigma Labs team is made up of world-class developers and engineers formerly of Facebook, Google, Amazon, Ripple and 1inch, most recently launching its first DeFi project in the Fall of 2020.

In March of 2021, ZKIN announced the formation of its new wholly-owned subsidiary, xSigma Entertainment Limited. It was established as part of ZK's integrated network of companies focused on developing and investing in innovative software technology platforms. xSigma Entertainment's mandate is to acquire assets in the high-growth US gaming market. Sigma Entertainment aims to increase shareholder value by targeting and investing in early stage online gambling businesses that are poised for exponential growth and exits.

For more information please visit http://www.ZKInternationalGroup.com. Additionally, please follow the Company on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Weibo. For further information on the Company's SEC filings please visit http://www.sec.gov.

About xSigma Trading

The xSigma Trading platform will provide customers with crypto derivation product, such as crypto options, crypto basket trading, crypto basket lending. The platform will provide traders with extreme market depth and liquidity and will give the best opportunity to select and diversify their portfolios with the variety of different products. The xSigma Trading platform will provide US Equity CFDs that will be wide ranging to include equities that are normally not available as CFDs. We will focus on stocks that are "in play", speculative stocks that might normally be hard to borrow or too expensive to trade from the short side.

For more information please visit: https://xsigma-trading.com

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "estimate" or "continue" or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of ZK International. Actual results may differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties, as well as other risk factors that are included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although ZK International believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that the results contemplated in forward-looking statements will be realized. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking information included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by ZK International or any other person that their objectives or plans will be achieved. ZK International does not undertake any obligation to revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Person: Di Chen Cell Number: +86 15057357883 Email: super.di@live.cn

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/on-the-heels-of-the-total-cryptocurrency-market-cap-hitting-2-6-trillion-zk-internationals-subsidiary-xsigma-launches-its-beta-for-two-trading-platforms-for-cfds-crypto-crypto-options-and-crypto-derivatives-301405652.html

SOURCE ZK International Group Co., Ltd.

Continued here:
On the Heels of the Total Cryptocurrency Market Cap Hitting $2.6 Trillion, ZK International's Subsidiary xSigma Launches Its Beta for Two Trading...

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on On the Heels of the Total Cryptocurrency Market Cap Hitting $2.6 Trillion, ZK International’s Subsidiary xSigma Launches Its Beta for Two Trading…

3-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn on her crypto investment strategy: ‘I don’t entirely trust it yet’ – CNBC

Posted: at 10:50 pm

Since retiring from competitive skiing in 2019, three-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn says she's remade herself as a businesswoman with a patient, low-risk financial approach.

That helps explain why she's slow to warm to cryptocurrency.

"I have small investments in crypto, but I don't have any major holdings with it," Vonn tells CNBC Make It. "I think there's still quite a bit of volatility in it, and I don't entirely trust it yet."

Vonn, 37, was often aggressive on the slopes while winning a women's record 82 World Cup races. But in her business life, which includes investments in Under Armour and recovery technology company Hyperice, she says she'd rather avoid being someone who tests hot, new financial crazes.

"I've read all the reports [about crypto]. And obviously, globally, it makes a lot of sense," she says. But, she adds, she wants to learn more about crypto before investing in it more heavily.

To an extent, Vonn is bucking a trend: Professional athletes from seven-time Super Bowl championTom Bradyto three-time NBA championStephen Curry have spent plenty of time plugging their crypto investments lately.

But financial experts often warn about crypto's volatile nature, recommending that you only invest money you can afford to lose. And Vonn notes that despite her athletic success, skiing simply isn't as lucrative as football or basketball.

In 2019, Vonn's final competitive season, the skier only took home roughly $3,500 in prize money, according to the International Ski Federation. Back in 2012, during the prime of her 19-year career, she won around $600,000 in prize money. Her net worth has also been bolstered by endorsement deals with companies like Red Bull, Beats by Dre and Rolex.

"We don't make millions and millions and millions of dollars," she says. "So I've really had to be very smart with how I handle my money."

Vonn's reticence is also unsurprising on another level. Twice as many men invest in cryptocurrency than women, according to a CNBC and Acorn's Invest in You: Next Gen Investor survey published in August.

The report added that a similar disparity exists at nearly every level of investing: Currently, twice as many men invest in exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, and individual stocks than women.

"For decades, women could not take out a loan, sign a mortgage, or even own a credit card without having a male co-signer," the report noted. "The legacy of these discriminatory practices continues even through today."

Don't miss:

NBA legend Charles Barkley: My advisors 'don't believe in crypto'

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal explains why he hasn't invested in crypto

CC Sabathia on the money advice he'd give his younger self: 'Save as much money as possible'

Read more from the original source:
3-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn on her crypto investment strategy: 'I don't entirely trust it yet' - CNBC

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on 3-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn on her crypto investment strategy: ‘I don’t entirely trust it yet’ – CNBC

Mariah Carey supports BlackGirlsCode with the help of Gemini cryptocurrency exchange – Yahoo News

Posted: at 10:50 pm

The Grammy-winner is the latest celebrity to partner with bitcoin and is doing so to help inspire other women to get involved in cryptocurrency.

Mariah Carey has become the latest star musician to partner with bitcoin. On Tuesday, the five-time Grammy-winning singer/songwriter announced her new collaboration with the platform Gemini, via a press release.

Gemini, founded by billionaire entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, gives people the easy ability to buy, sell, earn and store bitcoin, ether, DeFi tokens, and over 50 other cryptocurrencies in a simple, manageable way. Carey hopes that her high-profile partnership with Gemini inspires other women to learn more about cryptocurrency.

As a method to get more women involved, Careys partnership with Gemini means that a portion of trading fees investors use will be donated to BlackGirlsCode by using the code [MARIAH]. BlackGirlsCode is a non-profit organization that introduces young women of color to skills in computer programming and technology, as stated by the release.

In the past year, crypto investors doubled according to Geminis 2021 The State of U.S. Crypto Report. Of all the people in the report who expressed interest in investing in the asset class, 53 percent of the crypto-curious were women.

Its great to see Mariah and other celebrities discover bitcoin as an investment and hedge against inflation, said Tyler Winklevoss in a press release. Cryptos like bitcoin and ether were two of the best performing assets of the last decade. Our goal at Gemini is to help educate you on the promise of crypto and make it simple, easy, and safe for you to engage in this new asset class.

Mariah Carey lights the Empire State Building in celebration of the 25th anniversary of All I Want For Christmas Is You at the Empire State Building on December 17, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Carey joins other prominent musicians who have taken an interest in bitcoin. Over the years, celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Mike Tyson have made investments in bitcoin, as reported by Business Insider. Grammy-winning rapper Nas looked to get a big return from his 2013 investment in Coinbase after the company went public to NASDAQ in April, according to Coin Desk.

Story continues

One of the latest trends today involving artists and cryptocurrency is non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. Artists like SZA, Shawn Mendes and Grimes have invested.

Rap superstar Eminem partnered with Nifty Gateway (which was acquired by Gemini) to create Shady Con NFTs, providing collectibles such as original music, comic books and video games, as reported by Harpers Bazaar. The sales of Shady Con reached $1.8 million. Meanwhile Grimes WarNymph NFT artwork was sold for a total of $6 million.

On the music side, Carey has been enjoying the success with the single Somewhat Loved (There You Go Breakin My Heart), her contribution to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis album Jam & Lewis, Vol. 1. The song, co-written by Carey and The-Dream, peaked at number nine on Billboards Adult R&B chart, her 15th Top 10 on that chart, and first since 2019.

The legendary production duo have campaigned to listens via Instagram to submit clips to be considered for inclusion of a special fan-made music video.

Have you subscribed to the Grio podcasts, Dear Culture or Acting Up? Download our newest episodes now!TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!

The post Mariah Carey supports BlackGirlsCode with the help of Gemini cryptocurrency exchange appeared first on TheGrio.

Go here to see the original:
Mariah Carey supports BlackGirlsCode with the help of Gemini cryptocurrency exchange - Yahoo News

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Mariah Carey supports BlackGirlsCode with the help of Gemini cryptocurrency exchange – Yahoo News

Biggest Cryptocurrency Glitch that Shocked the World – Analytics Insight

Posted: at 10:50 pm

From 2008 to 2021, the crypto market is on the surge. But it is the Covid situation that made people look into this crypto market. Cryptocurrency can be a world of wonders but also a world of ups and downs. With an unsteady crypto market, you have to have good timing, knowledge, and global awareness to become a success. Cryptocurrency used to be seen as an esoteric, far-fetched investment. That image has changed, however, and now many ordinary people are getting into the game. How do they do it is up to them. Are you ready to step into this high-risk market of cryptocurrencies? And more importantly, are you ready for inevitable glitches?

The glitch is a black eye for cryptocurrency platforms. At the beginning of October 2021, decentralized finance platform Compound made a costly mistake after a bug in a recent update sent cryptocurrency worth almost $90 million to users, leaving its creators CEO begging users to voluntarily send it back. But that wasnt the last time.

On October 21, 2021, the entire crypto market turned upside-down when FLOW took over the first potion in the rankings on the official website of coinmarketcap.com. Flows market capital was US$43,844,606,163,742,888, and the global crypto market cap was US$43,933T. This glitch definitely shocked many people, but soon this mistake was corrected where Bitcoin still holds its tables topper position, and Flow went back to its actual position and market capital. Also, the global crypto market cap is US$2.62T that has observed a 3.55% increase over the last day.

Flow is a fast, decentralized, and developer-friendly blockchain, designed as the foundation for a new generation of games, apps, and the digital assets that power them. Flow is the only layer-one blockchain originally created by a team that has consistently delivered great consumer blockchain experiences: CryptoKitties, Dapper Wallet, NBA Top Shot.

The FLOW token is the native currency for the Flow network and the keystone for a new, inclusive, and borderless digital economy. If Flow is the digital infrastructure, FLOW token is the fuel that powers the network. FLOW is the currency required for the network and all the applications on top of it to function. FLOW is designed as a payment method as well as a long-term reserve asset for the entire Flow economy. The token is used by validators, developers, and users to participate in the FLOW network and earn rewards. It is also used for fees and to participate in future protocol governance.

Share This ArticleDo the sharing thingy

About AuthorMore info about author

Read more here:
Biggest Cryptocurrency Glitch that Shocked the World - Analytics Insight

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Biggest Cryptocurrency Glitch that Shocked the World – Analytics Insight

Formula E’s Move To Cryptocurrency Sponsors Is The Antithesis Of What The Series Is Supposed To Stand For – Jalopnik

Posted: at 10:50 pm

Image: Andretti Autosport

On Oct. 20, Andretti Autosport announced its next sponsor for the upcoming Formula E season: Avalanche, a cryptocurrency blockchain platform designed to capitalize on the latest fad in digital currency. And it goes against every eco-friendly ethos that Formula E has claimed to be built upon.

If youre not familiar with crypto or you just dont understand what, exactly, it is Ill try to break it down in simple terms. Essentially, crypto is the name for a kind of digital currency that can be traded for goods and services but that doesnt exist in physical form. Theyre kind of like arcade tokens; you couldnt use them to pay for your groceries, but crypto has its uses in very specific markets for very specific goods.

Crypto uses a technology called blockchain, or a decentralized technology spread out over tons of computers to manage transactions in a secure way. People like crypto because it cuts out banks, can theoretically reduce inflation, and can provide a more anonymous form of payment than something like a credit card.

To create more of these crypto tokens, though, requires a process called mining. Basically, you set up a computer to solve a very complex mathematical problem; solving it results in you receiving a token, and the process starts over. Its a pain in the ass and takes a lot of effort, but the payoff can be huge. Its like the gold rush, but on computers.

G/O Media may get a commission

Mining, though, is bad for the environment. The complex computations the computers need to perform use up tons of energy, often in the form of electricity and electricitys cleanliness all depends on how its derived. In China, for example, most power is generated by coal, so with upwards of 65 percent of crypto mining taking place in China, youre also generating a lot of extra fossil fuel use and waste. It also generates a lot of e-waste the name given to electronic products that have reached the end of their lives because miners consistently need to upgrade their technology to stay competitive in the crypto world.

To put it simply, cryptocurrency is the kind of wasteful activity that FE would normally condemn. Andretti Autosport wholeheartedly adopting a crypto sponsor is exactly the kind of move that undermines everything the series and its teams endorse.

There are also concerns rising about NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are pieces of digital assets like art that have value and exclusivity but no tangible existence. They, too, are part of a blockchain, and are sometimes called crypto art, which means NFTs can create a similar carbon footprint as something like a bitcoin token.

And Formula E is buying into NFTs, too. It even released a game called High Voltage, a blockchain-style motorsport management game that rewards players with NFTs. Again, it undermines Formula Es efforts to encourage viewers to make choices that benefit the environment.

Andretti is arguing that Avalanche is low-cost and eco-friendly, so it avoids all the criticisms that would normally accompany a crypto platform but theres not much data on how, exactly, thats supposed to happen.

Formula E isnt the only series with a crypto problem. Formula One, which has made much of its recent push to become more eco-friendly, has also been adopting crypto sponsors. F1 signed Crypto.com as a series sponsor and a sponsor for the Aston Martin team while Mercedes has signed the FTX crypto exchange program.

The rest is here:
Formula E's Move To Cryptocurrency Sponsors Is The Antithesis Of What The Series Is Supposed To Stand For - Jalopnik

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Formula E’s Move To Cryptocurrency Sponsors Is The Antithesis Of What The Series Is Supposed To Stand For – Jalopnik

A Cryptocurrency Collective Has Been Revealed as the $4 Million Buyer of Martin Shkrelis Collectible Wu-Tang Clan Album – artnet News

Posted: at 10:50 pm

After disgraced pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli was convicted of securities fraud in 2017, hewasforced to relinquish his assets, including a highly collectible edition of the Wu-Tang Clan albumOnce Upon a Time in Shaolin.The U.S. government sold it this past summer for $4 million to, it has now been revealed, a cryptocurrency collective called PleasrDAO.

Shkreli, who is now serving a seven-year prison sentence,placed the winning $2 million bidon the album via the online auction house Paddle 8 in 2015.

The collective, which has been storing the record in a New York City vault, says they want to make the two discs 31 tracks more widely available to listeners. But thats despite Wu-Tangs leader, RZA, and producer, Cilvaringz, specifying in the original sale that the music could not be publicly released for 88 years, until2103.

Martin Shkreli exits federal court on May 3, 2016. Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images.

This album at its inception was a kind of protest against rent-seeking middlemen, people who are taking a cut away from the artist. Crypto very much shares that same ethos, the collectives chief pleasing officer, Jamis Johnson, told the New York Times. The album itself is kind of the O.G. NFT.

In fact, the new sale came with an NFT instead of a physical ownership deed. PleasrDAO paid $4 million in cryptocurrency to an intermediary represented by Peter Scoolidge, a lawyer who helped broker the deal with Cilvaringz.

The government received what waspublicly known to be owed under the asset forfeiture order, Scoolidge told theTimes,or about$2.2 million according to recent court filings.

Masta Killa, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, U-God, Cappadonna, Raekwon the Chef, and Inspectah Deck of the Wu-Tang Clan. Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images.

Ahead of the sale,Scoolidge was given the rare opportunity to listen to the record in order to determine it was in working order. He used a Discman, playing the music for a select group oflaw enforcement and representatives of the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. attorneys office, and the Department of Justice.

As you can imagine, the tracks have a lot of colorful language on them, [so] theres a lot of giggling [as] people who are not hip-hop people [are] listening to this stuff, Scoolidge told Rolling Stone. It was pretty funny.

The collective that bought the album has 74 members. The groups name is a portmanteau based on the NFT artist Pplpleasr and the acronym D.A.O., which stands for decentralized autonomous organization.

Since it was founded less than a year ago, the collective has acquired a number of high-profile digital works, including NFTs by Edward Snowden and Pussy Riot, as well as one based on the popular Doge meme, which it began selling to the public in fractional shares.

This beautiful piece of art, this ultimate protest against middlemen and rent seekers of musicians and artists, went south by going into the hands of Martin Shkreli, the ultimate internet villain, Johnson told Rolling Stone.

More:
A Cryptocurrency Collective Has Been Revealed as the $4 Million Buyer of Martin Shkrelis Collectible Wu-Tang Clan Album - artnet News

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on A Cryptocurrency Collective Has Been Revealed as the $4 Million Buyer of Martin Shkrelis Collectible Wu-Tang Clan Album – artnet News

Investment opportunity with new Cryptocurrency miners – The Jerusalem Post

Posted: at 10:50 pm

If you are a crypto enthusiast looking to invest in cryptocurrency mining with minimum risk and maximum rewards, this article is for you. You may have already tried your luck investing in different mining products without much success. However, there is a new star emerging in the crypto market that has already started changing peoples lives. AsicWay is a just launched technology company that promises to make crypto mining simple yet profitable like never before. Regardless of your level of knowledge and experience, AsicWay offers a myriad of investment opportunities with superfast return on investment.

If you have some basic idea about crypto mining, you would know that profitability of crypto mining depends mostly on the hash rate and power consumption of the hardware. This is where AsicWay has stolen the show by delivering hash rates that are unheard of in the industry. In simple words, this means that compared to other products, AsicWay miners have a higher probability of finding the next block and receiving rewards. In general, mining with a higher hash rate demands a higher consumption of power. However, AsicWay has done well to maintain reasonably low power consumption despite of extraordinarily high hash-rates.

The hash rates and power consumptions for AsicWays AW1, AW2, and AW PRO miners are mentioned below.

BTC (TH/s) LTC (GH/s) ETH (GH/s) XMR (MH/s) Power Consumption (W)

AW1 380 40 2.5 3 650

AW2 610 64 4 5 850

AW PRO 1950 200 13 16 2200

Projected earning potential for AsicWay AW PRO

Projected earning potential for AsicWay AW 2

Projected earning potential for AsicWay AW 1

It is true that making this kind of earning in todays economic condition requires a lot of hard work, specialized knowledge and skills, and some degree of luck. However, with AsicWay, none of these factors are essential at all. AsicWay delivers all its mining products pre-configured with Linux based system and a simple to use interface. Anyone can start mining with these miners because one just needs to connect the machines to a power socket and access it using home internet connection. To make this investment even more profitable for the users, AsicWay covers the delivery and custom fees for them.

It is true that purchasing crypto miners can be a large investment for some individuals. This is why it is important to be 100% sure about the companys legitimacy before investing. AsicWay is the brainchild of a team of technology leaders and visionaries with the goal of taking the benefits to crypto mining to the common man. Unlike many crypto companies with dubious business practices, AsicWay can be contacted very easily via the email addresses and telephone numbers mentioned in the companys website. If you have any doubts, the support executives can also help you choose the right product based on your priorities.

There is no denying the fact that there are many investment options these days, but investing in AsicWay miners is quickly gathering momentum because of what it has to offer. If you are looking for a long-term income opportunity without taking too many risks, AsicWay is probably the best bet.

Visit link:
Investment opportunity with new Cryptocurrency miners - The Jerusalem Post

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Investment opportunity with new Cryptocurrency miners – The Jerusalem Post

Cryptocurrency prices today: Bitcoin climbs above $57,000 …

Posted: October 19, 2021 at 9:50 pm

Prices of major cryptocurrencies rose sharply on Thursday. All popular virtual coins rose as Bitcoin and Ether led the charge.

Bitcoin, the worlds largest cryptocurrency, was trading at $57,622, rising more than 4 per cent in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the most popular altcoin, Ether, was trading at $3,612 or more than 4 per cent higher.

Most other altcoins were also trading on the green side, including XRP, Cardano, Polkadot, Stellar, Dogecoin, Polygon and Litecoin.

The global crypto market cap increased more than 2 per cent to $2.38 trillion compared to last day. However, the total crypto market volume soared over 10 per cent to $115.60 billion.

Commenting on the gains, Edul Patel, CEO and Co-founder of Mudrex, a global algorithm-based crypto investment platform, said, "Over the past 24 hours, the cryptocurrency markets have witnessed high volumes which resulted in the price increase of major altcoins after days of consolidation."

"The largest cryptocurrency by market cap - bitcoin, which had a massive rally in the past week, has continued its rise and new ATH after 12th May. Many altcoins have performed well and the growth across sectors is impressive," Patel added.

Cryptocurrency

Price (US Dollar)

24-hour change

Market cap

Volume (24 Hours)

Bitcoin

57.622.91

4.38%

$1.09 trillion

$1.57 billion

Ether

3,612.58

4.63%

$425.14 billion

$919.93 million

Dogecoin

0.234936

5.41%

$30.89 billion

$1.38 billion

Litecoin

179.04

5.63%

$12.31 billion

$87.58 million

XRP

1.12

3.35%

$112.37 billion

$4.65 billion

Cardano

2.17

3.68%

$70.51 billion

$174.18 million

DISCLAIMER: The cryptocurrency prices have been updated as of 12:40 pm and will change as the day progresses. The list is intended to give a rough idea about popular cryptocurrency trends and will be updated daily.

Click here for IndiaToday.ins complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more:
Cryptocurrency prices today: Bitcoin climbs above $57,000 ...

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on Cryptocurrency prices today: Bitcoin climbs above $57,000 …

National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team Turns Up the Crypto Heat – JD Supra

Posted: at 9:50 pm

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the creation of a National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) to "tackle complex investigations and prosecutions of criminal misuses of cryptocurrency, particularly crimes committed by virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and money laundering infrastructure actors." According to the DOJ, the NCET will primarily draw team members from the DOJ Criminal Division's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and detailees from U.S. Attorneys' Offices.

Among other things, the NCET will:

Federal regulators are already actively pursuing cryptocurrency companies, as illustrated by a few recent matters:

In August 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) assessed a$100 million civil money penaltyagainst BitMEX. BitMEX is a convertible virtual currency derivatives exchange that operated as a futures commission merchant and that provided money transmission services. FinCEN determined that BitMEX willfully "(i) failed to implement and maintain a compliant anti-money laundering program, (ii) failed to implement and maintain a compliant customer identification program (CIP); and (iii) failed to report certain suspicious activity."

Then, on September 1, 2021, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed acomplaintagainst the cryptocurrency lending platform, BitConnect, Satish Kumbhani (founder), Glenn Arcaro (promoter), and Future Money LTD (Arcaro's company), expanding a civil case announced by the SEC in May. BitConnect provided a lending platform, where users could lend the value of virtual currency and receive investment payments in return. The SEC alleged BitConnect, among other things, "conducted a fraudulent and unregistered offering and sale of securities in the form of investments in BitConnect's purported 'Lending Program.'" The defendants allegedly convinced investors to deposit money in its "Lending Program," which would use a proprietary "volatility software trading bot" that would generate returns as high as 40 percent per month. BitConnect and its founder posted fake returns on its website. The SEC alleged that BitConnect engaged in securities fraud, the unregistered sale and offer to sell securities, and violations of the Exchange Act. The SEC seeks to impose fines, recoup ill-gotten gains, and more. The same day the SEC complaint was filed, Arcaro pleaded guilty to criminal charges brought by the DOJ. Sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2021.1

The creation of NCET is a signal that the federal government is turning up the heat on illicit uses of cryptocurrency and virtual currency exchanges. If you're in the virtual currency business, FinCEN released anAdvisory on Illicit Activity Involving Convertible Virtual Currencyto help financial institutions identify and report suspicious activity involving convertible virtual currency. This is particularly important for money services businesses (MSBs) because many virtual currency businesses operate as money transmitters (a type of MSB). "As money transmitters, persons accepting and transmitting [convertible virtual currency] are required to register with FinCEN as MSBs and comply with anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism program, recordkeeping and reporting requirements." If you operate a virtual currency business and are not sure if you are an MSB, read our advisory, "MSB or Not MSB? That Is the Question (for Determining Applicability of Anti-Money Laundering Rules)."

It is important to determine whether you need to have a regulatory compliance program in place to detect and identify criminal misuses of cryptocurrency, and to fulfill any applicable regulatory obligations to reduce legal exposure and mitigate risk.

[1] There are yet additional recent regulatory actions demonstrating federal and state concern about misuse of cryptocurrency. For example, on September 17, 2021, Coinbase Global Inc. (Coinbase) canceled the launch of its crypto lending program, Lend, which reportedly would have allowed users to earn four percent interest on cryptocurrency holdings. The SEC indicated it would consider the Lend product a security and pursue an enforcement action against Coinbase if it launched the Lend product. Various state regulators have also been active in this space. Also on September 17, 2021, the New Jersey Bureau of Securities sent a cease and desist order to Celsius Network, LLC (Celsius) regarding its Earn Rewards product because Celsius was offering and selling unregistered securities. Celsius would solicit investors to invest in Earn Rewards accounts by depositing certain cryptocurrencies into the investors accounts at Celsius. Celsius would place the funds in income generating activities, including lending operations and proprietary trading, and investors would earn a variable interest rate on their investment. The New Jersey Bureau of Securities considered the Earn Rewards accounts to be unregistered securities. The Texas State Securities Board has launched an administrative hearing against Celsius on similar grounds. Alabama, New Jersey, and Texas have all also pursued cease and desist orders against BlockFi Inc. based on its crypto lending business model.

Here is the original post:
National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team Turns Up the Crypto Heat - JD Supra

Posted in Cryptocurrency | Comments Off on National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team Turns Up the Crypto Heat – JD Supra

Page 78«..1020..77787980..90100..»