Stuck at $12K: Bitcoin Price Needs Quick Progress to Avert Further Losses (CoinDesk)
Stuck in the doldrums today, bitcoin needs a quick break above $12,500 or the tide may turn in favor of the bears, the charts suggest. The “V” shaped recovery in bitcoin (BTC) from Wednesday’s low has stalled below the $12,000 mark in the last 12 hours. Prices on CoinDesk’s Bitcoin Price Index (BPI) did rise to $12,045.09 at 15:14 UTC yesterday, before retreating to sub-$11,500 levels by 22:00 UTC. The slide from the high of $12,045 was extended further to $10,988.79 in Asian hours today. However, bitcoin soon regained poise and rose to an intraday high of $11,808.49 (at 08:44 UTC).
How Europe is Bursting Bitcoin’s Bubble (Politico)
Europe’s financial watchdogs are turning the screws on bitcoin and its cryptocurrency pals, helping to let the air out of a price boom that many economists warn is a bubble. Over the past year Europe’s financial regulators watched cautiously as bitcoin’s price soared nearly to $20,000, lifting other cryptos in its wake. But the grace period is coming to an end as Europeans join policymakers from around the world in warning about a possible bubble that could punish regular investors if it pops.
Pixabay/Public Domain
Morgan Stanley Now Clearing Bitcoin Futures for Clients, Helping Institutions Gain Exposure (CoinTelegraph)
Morgan Stanley is now clearing Bitcoin futures for their clients, meaning that Goldman Sachs is no longer the sole Wall Street firm doing so. Morgan Stanley joins Goldman Sachs, TD Ameritrade, E*Trade and others in clearing CME and Cboe Bitcoin futures. The reaction of the Bitcoin community has been divided over the creation of regulated Bitcoin futures, with some suggesting manipulation of the underlying Bitcoin market. However, it’s clear that the more Wall Street firms that get involved in anything related to Bitcoin, the more legitimacy it gives to digital currency.
Will a cryptocurrency Crackdown Kill Bitcoin, Ripple and Ethereum? Investors Speak Out Over ‘Bloodbath’ Fears (Metro.co.uk)
The cryptocurrency world was terrified by rumours suggesting a global crackdown on the trading of virtual coins is imminent. But new rules could slow the pace of bitcoin’s rise but should not threaten its existence, investors and market participants at a cryptocurrency conference said on Thursday. At the North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami, investors and executives were unfazed by rumours that governments will soon ban the buying and selling of virtual coins.
DIGITAL Currency Ethereum Has Risen by 3% Overnight and is Today Valued at £767 ($1,068.42). (TheSun)
The cryptocurrency can be purchased from the Coinbase app where users can also buy Bitcoin. But what are CryptoKitties, the new game which increased the value of Ethereum? What are CryptoKitties?
CryptoKitties, dubbed the next big cryptocurrency, is a new application built on the Ethereum chain. It was launched on Thanksgiving and became available for transactions in December. Players can buy and sell virtual cats for as much as $10,000, in a bid make hundreds of thousands more in real value. Users purchase their collectable kitties with Ethereum, and then breed them to create more kitties.
Best Ethereum Mining Hardware (2018 Updated)
(99Bitcoins.com)
Ethereum (ETH) is a popular choice for graphics card (GPU) miners. In 2018, Ethereum smashed its long-term $400 ceiling, and reached more than $1,000. Ethereum GPU Mining: Ethereum’s Ethash algorithm is one of many algorithms designed for optimal mining on GPUs. Generally speaking, a GPU is good for mining all GPU-mineable cryptocurrency (including Ethereum Classic, Monero, Zcash, and Vertcoin). This situation gives GPU miners enviable flexibility, in order to be able to switch between over 40 coins that are based on their current profitability.
Litecoin Price Prediction: Upcoming Litecoin Upgrade To Make it Even Cheaper Than Bitcoin (Profit Confidential)
It’s a quiet day in the cryptocurrency world. The storm has settled and the sun is out. Investors are finally out of choppy waters and trading with more peace of mind. Top cryptos, including Litecoin are trading in the green. At this point another piece of good news may serve as the icing on the cake that Litecoin investors may have been longing to taste. Litecoin founder Charlie Lee updates from the headquarters that Litecoin’s next upgrade is on its way. As promised, the developers will be cutting down transaction fees to further make LTC transactions cheaper for users.
Is Ripple (XRP) Centralized? Is It Even A Cryptocurrency? (CNA Finance)
Cryptocurrency is a hot topic these days, and for good reason. In general, a cryptocurrency is designed to be decentralized; a system that requires large amounts of miners to mine the currency and enter transactions into the ledger that is known as the blockchain. However, Ripple is very different. In fact, the entire system surrounding XRP challenges just about everything we know about cryptocurrency.
‘Cryptocurrency BANS are Inevitable’ Macron and Merkel to Trigger Global Bitcoin Crackdown (Express.co.uk)
FRANCE and Germany are set to launch a joint crackdown on cryptocurrency – as a top global insurance CEO warned regulations on bitcoin are inevitable as snow in the Alps. France and Germany’s finance ministers have agreed to launch a joint crackdown on the cryptocurrency markets as countries begin to push back against the bitcoin boom. Mark Wilson, the CEO of insurance company Aviva, said that cryptocurrencies face a “blizzard of regulations” in the coming weeks. Speaking to CNBC, Mr Wilson said cryptocurrencies presented a threat to country’s sovereignty and predicted that severe regulation was inevitable.
No Breaks for Crypto: China Targets Online Cryptocurrency Pyramid Schemes (Cryptovest.com)
After banning ICOs and cracking down on cryptocurrency exchanges, China is now looking towards online pyramid schemes involving digital currencies. China seems to be in no mood to cut cryptocurrencies any breaks. From its ICO ban in September, to talking about shutting down all centralized exchanges and even forcing miners to migrate, the crackdown has been persistent. Now, it appears that the country’s public security ministry will be hunting down crypto-based pyramid schemes online.
