Cryptocurrency and Blockchain-Related Jobs Growing in India (Cryptovest)
Indian cryptocurrency exchanges and operators are currently in an uncertain state, unsure whether or not the government will unveil new regulations. However, the country’s cryptocurrency and blockchain industry is booming, according to statistics collected by Indeed, a popular job portal. “In the six months to November 2017, the number of cryptocurrency and blockchain jobs posted on the Indeed website rose by 290 per cent. In the same period, job searches with keywords related to cryptocurrency/blockchain also rose by 52 per cent,” shared the report.
Singapore Confirms It Will Not ‘Ban’ Cryptocurrency, Has No ‘Risk Concerns’ (CoinTelegraph)
Singapore’s deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam provided new commentary on the government’s commitment “not to ban” cryptocurrency as part of its future regulatory plans. In a series of fourteen statements published Monday, Feb. 5 in response to questions posed by members of parliament Tuesday, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, deputy prime minister and minister in charge of regulatory body the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), confirmed a broadly hands-off policy regarding cryptocurrencies going forward. “…(MAS) has been closely studying these developments and the potential risks they pose. As of now, there is no strong case to ban cryptocurrency trading here,” the deputy PM said.
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Cryptocurrency Market Loses Over Half a Trillion Dollars this Year (RT.com)
On Tuesday, the cryptocurrency market capitalization sank below $300 billion for first time since November, according to CoinMarketCap data. The top 10 digital assets by market value are facing double-digit losses for the fourth time in the last five days. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been hammered by a series of crackdowns by banks and governments around the world. On Tuesday, the Bank for International Settlements warned that authorities must be prepared to act against the “invasive spread of cryptocurrencies.” Since this year has been dominated by negative news for cryptocurrencies, most of them are down at least 70 percent from their record highs. Bitcoin’s market cap has plunged to $106 billion from its record of $326 billion.
Bitcoin continues its slide, hovering around $7K (CNET)
Bitcoin’s downhill slope is getting steeper. The cryptocurrency on Tuesday dropped below $7,000 for the first time since last November, according to Bloomberg. It has since rebounded above that line, amid continuing volatility, Its low for the day was much deeper, hitting just below the $6,000 mark, losing two-thirds from its all-time high of nearly $20,000 in mid-December. That’s a nearly 20 percent drop from the previous day. Alternative coins such as Ripple, Ether and Litecoin also dropped significantly from their December values.
Bitcoin.com Wallet Added to Bitpay’s List of Payment Protocol Support (Bitcoin.com)
This past November the largest bitcoin payment processor worldwide, Bitpay, announced the company’s move to integrate a process called BIP-70, otherwise known as the Payment Protocol, into the Bitpay invoice platform. At Bitcoin.com we want readers and users of our services to be up to date with the latest technologies and upgrades happening within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Since the last software update, Bitcoin.com’s Wallet is one of the seven clients compatible with Bitpay’s recent BIP-70 implementation.
UNICEF Invites Gamers to Mine on Ethereum’s Blockchain for Syrian Fundraiser (BTCManager.com)
UNICEF, a United Nations program, has initiated a charity project; Game Chaingers, that aims to raise funds by mining Ethereum. UNICEF is a humanitarian and development program with a focus on assisting children and mother in developing countries. The money raised from Game Chaingers project will be aiding children in war-torn Syria. The charity organization wished gamers to lend their powerful graphics cards in computers to mine Ethereum’s ether. It is inviting gamers from around the globe to take part in the initiative for a noble cause. Interested gamers are only required to visit chaingers website and provide few details about the computer system so that the mining software can be installed on the PC. The mined cryptocurrency will directly go to UNICEF’s digital wallet.
Venezuela’s Cryptocurrency Plans Draw Ire at US Senate Hearing (Coin Desk)
Venezuela’s controversial plan to create an oil-backed cryptocurrency ignited debate and discussion at a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday. Held by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, which kicked off at 10 a.m. EST, the event notably saw CFTC chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo and SEC chair Jay Clayton discuss and respond to a range of questions, including the possibility their role as market regulators could be bolstered by new laws. However, it was the issue of actions by other nations that saw notable discussion later in the session, when talk turned to Venezuela and public boasts by its President Nicolas Maduro that the country could use an ethereum-based cryptocurrency to avoid sanctions.
Ethereum Price Recovering as Australian Banks Say No to Bannning Cryptocurrency Transactions (FXStreet)
The second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, Ethereum is trading at $672. Ethereum like most of the other cryptocurrencies continued in a downward trend Tuesday. Monday trading was also on a sloping trend and remained in the red. Ethereum price has been declining from last week, and the price has dropped by over 9% since the opening of the trading session on Tuesday morning. The currency traded in the $600 range in mid-December 2017 and reached an all-time high on 13th January 2017 trading at $1,300. The cryptocurrency has been dropping in price from the third week of January to date.
Aliant Payment Systems Gives Merchants Chance to Accept Litecoin (MobilePaymentsToday)
Aliant Payment Systems, a U.S.-based provider of merchant services and credit card processing, is now offering its merchants the ability to accept Litecoin payments, according to a company press release. “Our merchants look to us for innovative ways to transfer money safely, securely, and cost-effectively. Cryptocurrency allows us to move money in all of these ways, while also offering consumers more payment options,” Aliant CEO Eric Brown said in the press release. “We expect Litecoin to emerge as a prominent everyday payment option. Pay with Litecoin at restaurants, bars, gas stations, coffee shops, and other places that you go regularly.”
Ripple Price Takes Time to Consolidate Before Next Move (FXStreet)
The Ripple price has taken time to consolidate in recent trade on Tuesday, after starting the day down as much as 22%. XRP/USD did print lows around $0.57, before recovering and flirting around key support seen at $0.64. A continuation of heavy market selling has now prompted consolidation across the board, the next defining direction for Ripple will soon become clearer. The SEC hearing has not been harsh on cryptocurrencies in general, or any plans to implement strict guidelines currently in relation to the trading within the digital currency market.
