Cryptocurrency Exchange Bitfinex is Going to Use Special Tools to Crack Down on Market Manipulation (Markets.BusinessInsider.com)
LONDON – Global cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex has partnered with a market surveillance company to try and stamp out market manipulation on its platform. Market surveillance software provider Irisium announced on Wednesday that it is now working with Bitfinex to “identify and investigate manipulative behaviours and suspicious trading practices on its exchange.”
Vogogo Announces Agreement to Purchase Cryptocurrency Company (SeekingAlpha.com)
Vogogo (OTCQB:VGGOF) entered into a share purchase agreement providing for the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Crypto 205 from its current shareholders in exchange for an aggregate of 130,000,000 non-voting, convertible series 1 preferred shares in the capital of Vogogo. The Transaction is expected to close on or about April 1. Pursuant to the Transaction, Crypto 205 will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Vogogo.
Pixabay/Public Domain
Privacy-oriented Cryptocurrency Verge (XVG) Got its Twitter Hacked (TheNextWeb.com)
In an ironic turn of events, privacy-focused cryptocurrency Verge (XVG) got its Twitter account hacked yesterday. According to Verge team members on Telegram, no funds were at risk at any point in time and the breach was exclusively limited to its social media profiles. Once in control of the account, the hackers proceeded to ask Verge followers to donate XVG to a fraudulent wallet for a chance to receive double the amount in return – a new scam tactic which has been running rampant in the blockchain space over the past couple of months.
How PlasmaCash Can Prevent Hackers (CryptoDaily.co.uk)
PlasmaCash was created by Ethereum founder, Vitalik Buterin, and is a blockchain scaling system of smart contracts, designed to increase the Ethereum blockchain’s computational potential. This new system was presented just last Friday, at the Ethereum community conference EthCC, which took place in Paris. Plasma first hit the scene back in August last year, after Buterin teamed up with Joseph Poon, the co-creator of Lightning Network. It is a series of contracts that run on top of a root blockchain, and optimises any data that is passed onto the root blockchain, which in turn will reduce the transaction fees for both DApps and smart contracts.
One of the World’s Biggest Investment Firms Thinks Bitcoin is Worth Zero (Mashable.com)
Bitcoin’s value is zero, but there’s potential in blockchain as technology, says a recent note from Allianz Global Investors (AGI), the investment arm of insurance company Allianz. The tone of the note does not differ significantly from similar sentiments expressed by prominent investors like Charles Munger and Robert Shiller, but AGI – a company that manages nearly 500 billion euros ($619 billion) worth of assets as of Dec. 2017 – has expanded on the usual bubble talk a little. “What is the fair value of a bitcoin? In our view, its intrinsic value must be zero: a bitcoin is a claim on nobody – in contrast to, for instance, sovereign bonds, equities or paper money – and it does not generate any income stream,” says the note, signed by AGI Head of Global Economics and Strategy Stefan Hofrichter.
Playboy TV Welcomes Payments Through Bitcoin [BTC] and other Cryptocurrencies (AMBCrypto.com)
Playboy TV is next on the list amongst the most popular platforms to start accepting payments in cryptocurrencies. To begin with, they will start accepting a token called Vice Industry Token [VIT] which is at the ICO stage with a week’s time left for its commencement. According to their statement: “By the end of the year, a dedicated cryptocurrency wallet will be created.” Play Boy TC is an American A rated premium cable and satellite television network owned and managed by Mindgeek. Their primary focus is on adult programming which includes motion pictures, first-run television series, and other specials.
Gemini To Add Bitcoin Cash And Litecoin (CryptoDaily.co.uk)
The Winklevoss twins have revealed plans for their crypto exchange Gemini, to begin trading Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash this year. At present, Gemini only trades Bitcoin and Ethereum. Speaking to media at a Cboe event held in Florida, Tyler Winklevoss confirmed that expansion of Gemini’s offerings would be “from the Satoshi Nakamoto family tree – Bitcoin cash, Litecoin.” The move comes in the wake of Gemini’s recent partnership with Cboe Global Markets Inc. The Cboe wants to begin trading futures contracts with cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, opening its exchange up to Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash would be of mutual benefit to both parties.
Ripple (XRP), Stellar (XLM), and NEO Struggle to Keep Up – Google to Blame? (CryptoCurrencyNews.com)
Several hours ago it was announced that Google will be banning all crypto-related advertisements. Like Facebook, Google is disallowing cryptocurrency ads from appearing via any of Google’s ad products. This may spell bad news for crypto projects, but the ban won’t be going into effect until June of this year. This news was first released several hours before the coins’ major drop-off points, so they may not be related at all (although there may be some trickle-down effect). But these kinds of patterns show how much the crypto market is tied together. There are instances where coins can separate themselves from the herd running off the cliff, but this is not one of those times for Ripple, Stellar, or NEO.
Ripple Loses Battle Over XRP Dispute in California (NewsBTC.com)
Ripple Labs Inc, a San Francisco-based blockchain developer famous for the XRP token, lost a home-court battle with rival R3 Holdco over ownership of its cryptocurrency, XRP. With San Francisco’s state appeals court denying Ripple’s request, it means that a New York court should decide the fate of the dispute against the NY-based R3. Ripple Loses Battle Over XRP Ownership on Home Turf: Once together in partnership, it all fell down with Ripple accusing R3 of misleading representation. In turn, R3 claims that Ripple illegally declined to hand over 5 billion of its cryptocurrency XRP as originally agreed. 5 billion XRP is currently worth approximately $3.75 billion.
Apple Removed the Calendar App that Mined Cryptocurrency for Not Being Power Efficient (TheVerge.com)
Apple pulled a calendar app from the Mac App Store after it introduced a feature to mine cryptocurrency, as reported by 9to5Mac. The app, Calendar 2, mined a cryptocurrency called Monero in the background, which Apple says put an unnecessary burden on the devices that were using it. After the app’s developer negotiated with Apple and removed the mining aspect, Calendar 2 is now available again in the App Store.
