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Showing posts from February 10, 2021

MLB Team Washington Nationals Partners With Terra Blockchain Community, Ballpark Plans to Accept UST

On February 9, the American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C., the Washington Nationals, announced the team has partnered with Terra, the open-source blockchain platform and decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). The Washington Nationals detail that the team is a “leading innovator” and is “consistently introducing new technologies to enhance the fan experience.” Washington Nationals Ink Long-Term Deal With Terra Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Washington Nationals has partnered with the blockchain platform and DAO Terra, according to an announcement published by the team on Wednesday. The deal with Terra follows a slew of sports-related deals with crypto firms, but the MLB team will be the first to partner with an open-source blockchain project. In addition to the partnership, the algorithmic stablecoin UST that’s issued on the Terra blockchain will be “accepted as a payment method at Nationals Park as early as next season.” “The Nationals continue t...
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Earn Money by Selling NFT Properties in Upland

PRESS RELEASE. Hidden among a press release published on November 10, 2020 is one of the most significant developments in blockchain history: By partnering with Tilia Pay, Upland.me, a virtual property metaverse that offers true ownership of NFT property parcels mapped to real addresses, has taken a giant leap towards creating the world’s first true digital economy . As the earth’s metaverse, Upland is blurring and ultimately erasing the line between the real world and the digital world. Upland has now been bringing that proposition to life with Property-to-USD. By spending the past two years building a metaverse that offers true ownership of digital assets via blockchain tech, Upland has asymptotically been approaching their goal of building a fully realized market-based digital economy. So far, Upland allowed purchasing of digital assets via fiat or crypto (through UPX) and the in-game resale and trading of those assets. Upland has established a true free market based on supply...
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Elon Musk Shoots Down Crypto Wallet App Freewallet After It Tried to Ride His Dogecoin Fame

An attempt to capitalize on the ongoing hype around Dogecoin has backfired for the crypto wallet app Freewallet after it was called out online in a tweet from Elon Musk. Musk Proclaims ‘Your app sucks,’ In Blunt Tweet Directed at Freewallet Freewallet, riding on the Elon-Doge rocket of publicity, released a tweet telling people to buy and exchange Dogecoin in its crypto wallet app with a tag of the man himself. Tagging Elon Musk comes with its own risk, as apparent from the blunt reply: Your app sucks — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 10, 2021 An hour later, Musk decided to expand on his claim by jumping from his role of executioner to an educator: Any crypto wallet that won’t give you your private keys should be avoided at all costs — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 10, 2021 As expected, Musk’s followers rallied behind him and joined in on the action, leading to an entourage of critical posts being directed towards the crypto app. Full thread here . Musk’s criticism o...
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Traffic to Binance surges to record highs, site goes down for maintenance

Binance suffered an outage today after announcing consecutive new all-time highs for web traffic. Leading crypto asset exchange Binance was forced to suspend its spot and margin trading services just a few minutes after its CEO took to Twitter to boast the platform had smoothly handled new record highs for website traffic. Binance chief executive Changpeng Zhao, or CZ, tweeted the exchange had experienced a new all-time high for traffic on Feb.10, stating the platform had “handled the load” of a 60% increase in traffic on top of the previous day's record traffic.  CZ also noted that new user sign-ups had tagged record highs: “New account registrations are still open, not sure for how long.” CZ's now-deleted Feb. 11 tweet The tweet has since been deleted, with Binance publishing a “notice of temporary system maintenance” roughly 30 minutes later. The exchange returned to normal operations roughly one hour after the notice was issued. Only futures trading was able to co...
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Lightning Network node count hits record high, TVL tops $42M

Will Bitcoin’s premier layer-two solution finally graduate from experiment to everyday utility, following its adoption by major exchanges? The Lightning Network has grown 75% in size over the past year, hitting a record high 8,900 nodes for the first time on Feb. 8, according to LN monitors at Bitcoin Visuals.  A significant proportion of the increase occurred more recently, suggesting that some Bitcoiners are gravitating toward the layer-two solution, potentially as a means of escaping ever-increasing transaction fees . The total BTC locked in LN channels has remained in the 1,000 to 1,100 range since Aug. 2020 — however the total dollar value has risen 250% in the intervening months, translating to a record $42.72 million currently locked on the network. The total number of channels between nodes currently stands at about 38,600, which is the highest since May 2019. This count does not represent channels between private nodes. I've been using the lightning network for 2 y...
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Perceived centralization could kill PoS networks: ShapeShift report

ShapeShift believes the public perception of a network’s centralization could make or break the current generation of smart contract platforms. A new report suggests that Cosmos, Polkadot and NEAR could fail to take off if they are perceived to have an issue with centralization — as the example of EOS demonstrates. Non-custodial crypto asset exchange ShapeShift has published a report predicting that Proof-of-Stake scalable smart contract networks Polkadot, Cosmos, and Near will be thoroughly put to the test this year. The report forecasts the networks’ claims of increased scalability without sacrificing security or decentralization will soon be tested. Shapeshift notes the distribution of Polkadot’s and NEAR’s respective native tokens appears quite centralized as a result of “relatively high insider token allocations,” while Cosmos’ pluralistic architecture requires each of its individual “zones” to recruit independent validators — making it more difficult for each zone to ensure r...
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Crypto Portfolio Tracking App Apologizes for Racist Messages Sent to Customers- Investigations Underway

The crypto portfolio tracker Blockfolio, owned by the exchange FTX, got its messaging system compromised, as racist notifications started to appear. Blockfolio’s users received the offensive messages with a warning that they’re about to lose all funds. Some Offensive Messages Included a URL Reportedly Linked to Pornography According to the crypto tracker and trading app, they’re almost entirely back with their notification system, and the company issued a public apology: We are incredibly sorry about the offensive messages posted today. No funds/etc were affected; this did not interact with any trading features. Also, Blockfolio said they’ve revoked access to the compromised Signal submitter and removed the racists’ messages . Tracking parts of the app are again coming back progressively, said the FTX-owned app. All the users’ offensive messages seem to be the same ones, with clear grammar mistakes. It reads as follows: Hello we are sad to announce we closure of our services...
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Porn shop: Stripchat says crypto payments increased 400% in a year

Adult webcam streaming websites are getting a boost from pandemic lockdowns. Live streaming webcam platform Stripchat is among several adult websites experiencing a boom in crypto payments over the past year. The adult social streaming and entertainment platform revealed in a blog that cryptocurrency is rapidly becoming a preferred payment method for many users and performers on the webcam-based website. It is estimated that the platform has over 300,000 models and averages around 60 million visitors a month according to Stripchat stats for 2020 . Using digital assets for adult entertainment is nothing new as they offer an additional layer of anonymity. However, Stripchat and other webcam sites saw significant growth in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It reported a 72% spike in traffic and hosted over 2 billion sessions for the year. Max Bennet, VP of New Media at Stripchat, stated; “Both users and models are more actively using crypto as their prefe...
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Lawyers warn Elon Musk’s Bitcoin pumping tweets could attract SEC’s ire

Elon Musk’s rampant Twitter activity could get him into hot water with the SEC according to lawyers. Legal advisors have warned that Tesla chief executive Elon Musk could come under scrutiny from the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission over his social media activity around Bitcoin. On Monday, Feb. 8 Tesla announced in an SEC filing that it had purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin and will soon start accepting BTC payments. Shortly afterwards, prices of the asset skyrocketed to a new all-time high of a little over $48,000. Partner at Linklaters and former branch chief of the SEC's division of enforcement, Doug Davison, told the UK’s Telegraph newspaper: "It would not be surprising—given the focus on the chief executive's Tweets, Bitcoin pricing and recent dramatic market moves—for the SEC to ask questions about the facts and circumstances here," Former vice president of the European Central Bank, Vitor Constâncio, echoed the sentiment concluding that the “...
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MasterCard announces support for crypto on its network

MasterCard will allow its almost one billion users to spend cryptocurrencies at more 30 million merchants, although it hasn’t specified which coins will be supported. MasterCard has announced plans to support cryptocurrencies in 2021, paving the way for its nearly one billion users to spend digital assets at more than 30 million merchants. The firm believes this may open merchants up to new customers and build loyalty with existing customers who are already migrating to digital assets over traditional fiat options. “It’s about choice. MasterCard isn’t here to recommend you start using cryptocurrencies. But we are here to enable customers, merchants and businesses to move digital value” While the global payments giant noted it is planning to support stablecoins due to their “reliability and security,” Mastercard declined to name any specific cryptocurrencies it will integrate. However, Mastercard offered four core criteria by which it will be assessing prospective assets: robust ...
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88% of all BTC transfers are overpaying transaction fees

Three and a half years after the activation of SegWit, adoption of the space-saving transaction format is still far from ideal. According to analysis by Mark “Murch” Erhardt of Chaincode Labs , 88% of all Bitcoin transaction inputs pay higher fees than are necessary. Erhardt bases his conclusion on data showing just 12% of transaction inputs use the SegWit format, which is less fee intensive than transacting with legacy inputs. Erhardt believe s that a reliance on legacy transaction fees keeps Bitcoin blocks smaller than they could otherwise be, contributing to a seemingly growing backlog of unconfirmed transactions. A clogged up Bitcoin mempool containing 107 blocks worth of transactions at one point yesterday serves as a reminder that it is possible to save money on fees by creating less costly transactions. The easiest way to do this, according to Erhardt, is by adopting SegWit for all future transactions. Erhardt pointed out that switching from legacy to data efficient SegW...
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All-Star Celebrity Line-Up Launches Ethernity – A Debut Collection of NFTs

Winklevoss Twins, Swish DJ Alesso, and 76ers owner Michael Rubin debut digital artworks alongside an all-star celebrity line-up. The non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a collection of NFTs distributed by the art collective Ethernity. Ethernity Provides a Way for Stars to Support Philanthropic Causes A star-studded line-up of celebrities and influential figures has launched its first collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as part of the celebrity art collective Ethernity , a new NFT project that sells digital artwork endorsed by well-known public figures in the areas of film, TV, music, sports, and cryptocurrency. A token represents each piece of digital artwork featured in the Ethernity collection created by renowned artists. A portion of the funds raised from each sale will be donated to charitable causes. Endorsed by celebrities and created by artists, Ethernity provides a way for stars to support philanthropic causes while participating in events that are close to their hearts. ...
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Avalanche (AVAX), Matic and Celo rally while Bitcoin price pulls back

Ethereum network competitors like Avalanche, Matic and Celo are seeing substantial gains as high gas fees push users to search for cheaper alternatives. Bitcoin’s ( BTC ) recent institutional investor-driven rally has steadily pushed its price to new all-time highs and while investors are intensely focused on BTC’s price action, a number of altcoins have also secured new multi-year highs. On. Feb. 10, the total crypto market capitalization hit a new high at $1.42 trillion less than a week after Tesla disclosed that it purchased $1.5 billion worth of BTC. Despite being the center of attention for the past few months, Bitcoin’s market dominance has actually decreased from 70.2% on Jan. 13 to its current reading at 61.5%. Historical data shows that when Bitcoin dominance falls and its price enters a consolidation phase, altcoins have a tendency to rally higher. Bitcoin might be taking a breather to gather strength for the next leg up into uncharted territory, but here’s a few of the ...
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Bitcoin Marketplace Keepchange Suffers Data Breach — No Funds Stolen During the Incident

A bitcoin company is the latest victim of a data breach incident, where hackers managed to access customers’ full names and email addresses. Moreover, attackers sent withdrawal requests from the company customers’ accounts to addresses belonging to the hackers. Marketplace Warns Users of Phishing Attacks According to the announcement , Keepchange clarified that attackers stole part of their customers’ data, including trade counts, total traded amount, and passwords in the hashed form. Although the company stated it’s “very unlikely” the hackers can retrieve the password from the hashed form, they recommend users change passwords. However, the bitcoin ( BTC ) company clarified one of their control subsystems thwarted the hacker’s attempts to withdraw money from the user’s accounts affected in the data breach. No BTC was stolen during the cybersecurity incident. As part of a series of security measures to be deployed, Keepchange says they’ve activated “Login Guard.” After each log...
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Avoid hosted crypto wallets 'at all costs,' warns Elon Musk

One crypto wallet provider’s marketing interaction with Elon Musk has backfired with the Tesla CEO roundly criticizing the company. Freewallet, a hosted crypto wallet service known for offering standalone storage services for cryptocurrencies has seen its marketing attempt rebuffed by Elon Musk. Responding to Freewallet’s self-promotional message, Musk retorted : Any crypto wallet that won’t give you your private keys should be avoided at all costs — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 10, 2021 Hosted crypto wallet platforms like Freewallet are often targets for criticism over the storage of their user’s private keys. This policy flies in the face of the “ not your keys, not your coins ” ethos propounded by cryptocurrency purists. By storing private keys on third-party platforms, crypto owners run the risk of rogue actors gaining access to this sensitive bit of information and compromising their wallets in the process. Freewallet for its part has responded to the negative views ...
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Premier League football club enters VR partnership with crypto betting site

The Southampton FC matchday rights acquired by Sportsbet could be put to use even amid the COVID-19 lockdown — with the help of Bitcoin and virtual reality. Premier League football club Southampton FC has entered into a partnership with cryptocurrency betting website Sportsbet.io. The new venture will give Southampton fans the chance to take in the matchday experience during the COVID-19 lockdown via virtual reality headsets, while influencers will reportedly be granted sums of Bitcoin ( BTC ) to create unique VR experiences. Sportsbet.io became the main club partner of Southampton FC at the beginning of the 2020–2021 season, and the United Kingdom-based betting site now aims to utilize its matchday rights in the virtual realm. Sportsbet.io also signed a three-year partnership with Arsenal at the start of the season, becoming the club’s official betting partner in the process. The betting site has at various times accepted deposits in the form of Bitcoin, Ethereum ( ETH ), Litecoin...
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Monero community wants Elon Musk to add XMR as Tesla payment option

The Monero community has raised $150,000 as part of a proposal to add XMR as a payment option on the Tesla website. The Monero community has posted a proposal to add XMR as a payment option on the Tesla website. Shortly after Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors hinted that they may start accepting Bitcoin ( BTC ) payments its electric cars, the Monero community suggested that XMR could also be a good payment option. After posting a CCS proposal on Feb. 9, the Monero community has raised 890 XMR ($155,000) in a move to add Monero as a payment option for a new Tesla alongside Bitcoin.  As part of the proposal, the community will strive to get Musk’s attention during a 21-day period starting on Feb. 9. Should Tesla accept the initiative, the Monero community will select three charities to receive brand-new Teslas. The community promised to refund the contributors in case there is no response or engagement from Musk within the twenty-one days of a fully funded proposal. The effort was su...
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Central Bank of Nigeria Denies It Has Placed New Restrictions on Cryptocurrencies — Uses Debunked Claims to Justify New Directive

Following the outcry over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s latest directive that targets cryptocurrencies, the institution has reaffirmed its stance with another statement. In the latest five-page document, the CBN insists that this directive is intended to protect the country’s financial system from the “risks” that are associated with cryptocurrencies. Debunked Claims Still, the central bank claims the directive has “not placed any new restrictions on cryptocurrencies” but is only regurgitating what was said four years ago. In January 2017, the CBN published a circular which claimed then that the use of cryptocurrencies was against the “key mandate of the CBN as the issuer of legal tender in the country.” Nevertheless, the country has since seen the use of cryptocurrencies grow and now Nigeria ranks as one of the leading cryptocurrency markets in the world. Despite the apparent embrace of cryptocurrencies, the CBN statement appears to ignore this evidence. Instead, the statement...
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Chainlink hits new highs, but is LINK about to pull another 150% parabolic move?

LINK is in price discovery mode but one chart suggests it’s about to explode by 154%. You could literally hear the Bitcoin ( BTC ) hodlers cheering from the rooftops as the world's largest whale publically entered the market this week . But as Bitcoin screamed toward $50,000, altcoin hodlers looked on in horror as their portfolios began shrinking in terms of BTC. However, the Elon pump has possibly created a massive buying opportunity for many altcoins on the BTC paired charts. One coin, in particular, has been letting the side down, namely LINK. It seems like only yesterday that Zeus capital got rekt shorting LINK as it pumped from $10 to $20, but this was August 2020, when Bitcoin was trading at a lowly $10,000. In the last few weeks, despite LINK pushing to new all-time highs, the Twitterverse has been jokingly calling LINK a stablecoin as it’s been hovering around $25 for what seems like forever. It was even recently flipped by DOGE on the market cap ratings. Not a good ...
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