Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: People, Culture and Tech
The headwind Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency is facing seems to be getting stronger in Asia, as regulators in China, Korea, and India all expressed serious concerns about the stablecoin.
Cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiasts were excited about the announcement this week that President Donald Trump plans to name Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, a longtime supporter of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, as his interim White House chief of staff before the end of the year. As a congressman, Mulvaney was a co-founder of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus. When it comes to actually embracing cryptocurrencies, the U.S. has been generally skeptical. As a recent opinion piece in the Harvard Business Review by law firm Jones Day blockchain initiative leaders Stephen J. Obie and Mark W. Rasmussen noted: “Without clear regulations, cryptocurrency innovation in the United States is being stifled.…
Cboe, the exchange group behind the first market for bitcoin futures, is telling market makers that ether futures will soon be live (Business Insider) A source has told Business Insider that the CBOE, which launched the first U.S. regulated futures on bitcoin, is looking to launch an ether-based futures contract as soon as December. As of last week, the total open interest in the CBOE’s bitcoin contract equaled only 4,069 BTC, or a little more than $28 million. Special Report: In Venezuela, new cryptocurrency is nowhere to be found (Reuters) The Venezuelan government’s much-hyped oil-backed cryptocurrency known as the petro is tough to find. It’s not in exchanges and…
How long are you willing to wait to get into a party? Unveiled this week as a paradigm shift in cryptocurrency technology, Hedera Hashgraph kept the publicity rolling with a party at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, on Friday afternoon. Curious crypto enthusiasts started forming a line outside the venue shortly before the posted 1 p.m. start time, but unknown technical or logistical issues kept the would-be attendees at bay for an additional 35 minutes. People were grumpy! No big deal—Hedera Hashgraph is in the cryptocurrency business, not the party planning business. When the crowd was finally let inside from the Texas heat, morale improved in no time. There…
