• Buying Bitcoin using fiat
    Paxful and OKEx just joined forces to make it easier to buy Bitcoin without access to major fiat currencies (Photo: Philip Brewer/Flickr)
    Bitcoin

    Buying Bitcoin using fiat just got easier

    A new partnership with Paxful means OKEx users can buy Bitcoin using 160 fiat currencies… or gift cards, if they prefer.

    June 15, 2020 /

    OKEx announced on June 15 that it has entered into a strategic partnership with the peer-to-peer Bitcoin marketplace Paxful. OKEx users will be able to purchase BTC using more than 160 fiat currencies, while Paxful users will be given direct access to the OKEx platform for trades, options and futures.

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  • Algorand Blockstack smart contract language
    Could this be the silver bullet that finally gets governments and big firms to use smart contracts? (Photo: Christiaan Colen)
    Technology

    Algorand, Blockstack building smart contract language for $100 million deals

    The firms said the open-source Clarity project will help bring DeFi into the financial big time, replacing error-prone programming languages with one offering ‘mathematical certainty’ of how a smart contract will act

    June 11, 2020 /

    Blockchain developer Algorand has joined forces with decentralized software firm Blockstack to develop a new smart contract language that will deliver the safety, security, and predictability demanded by developers working on high-stakes DeFi transactions that run into nine figures.

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  • Chainalysis tracks Dash and Zcash
    The revelations might cause some criminals to break out into a cold sweat (Photo: Pixabay)
    Cryptocurrencies,  Technology

    Chainalysis touts ability to track ‘privacy coins’ Dash and Zcash… but how?

    Those who use these cryptocurrencies for illicit transactions are more exposed than they think, even if they’re among the tiny group who actually use their obfuscation tools

    June 10, 2020 /

    The blockchain intelligence firm says it is now able to investigate illicit payments made using Zcash and Dash. And, the company said, this can be done in a way that balances privacy and compliance.

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  • Finland hotspot illegal Bitcoin
    Finland may have a low murder rate, but scammers are making a killing (Photo: Dave Grubb/Flickr))
    Bitcoin,  Europe,  United States

    CipherTrace: Finland a hotspot for illegal Bitcoin

    The tranquil Scandinavian nation is home to the Northern Lights, but down on the ground it’s also a haven for darknet scammers attempting to cash out; CipherTrace report finds $1.4 billion lost this year, criminals getting savvy to anti-money laundering

    June 4, 2020 /

    CipherTrace says 12.1% of Bitcoin funds sent to Finnish exchanges come directly from criminal sources. As a percentage, that’s the highest worldwide, making Finland a hotspot for illegal Bitcoin. LocalBitcoins, a peer-to-peer crypto marketplace, is partly to blame. It is based in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, and received 99% of these ill-gotten funds, according to a report.

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