Are Bitcoins the new Beanie Babies, or is there hope in 2019?
Bitcoin skyrocketed in value from less than a penny in 2010 to nearly $20,000 in late 2017. Then it spent 2018 in a freefall crash. So, what happened? Is it dead? Can Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies survive in 2019? Government backing may be the key to their resurgence.
The first Bitcoin was born 10 years ago today. How far we’ve come
The Bitcoin genesis block was mined 10 years ago today, bringing the first 50 Bitcoins into existence. Since then more than 17 million more have been mined and the hardware used to create new tokens is thousands of times more capable. It's also having a dangerous environmental impact.
Canada’s winters inspired a startup to warm homes with cryptomining heat waste
Consuming massive amounts of electricity and generating tons of waste heat has become the price we’re paying to use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It’s a problem that gets worse at scale. But Quebec-based Heatmine thinks there may be a way to replace existing hot water heating systems with mining rigs, solving two problems at once.
Cryptocurrency investor Ian Balina sees a comeback for cryptocurrency in 2019
Today on Digital Trends Live, we chatted with cryptocurrency investor Ian Balina about what the future holds for cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin. He also gave a quick recap of what happened in 2018, as well as a few pointers on what to look for when thinking about investing our own money.
Russia goes all-in on buzzwords, builds solar-powered blockchain drone boat
A new Russian solar-powered drone boat is designed to take smart sensor readings and save them to the Ethereum blockchain. That might sound like buzzword bingo, but it's doing it for a good reason: To keep tabs on water pollution in one of the world's largest reservoirs.
DJ Khaled and Mayweather Jr. charged with fraud over cryptocurrency hype
The Securities and Exchange Commission has fined both DJ Khaled and Floyd Mayweather Jr. for promoting a fraudulent cryptocurrency initial coin offering without disclosing that they were doing so. The two men will have to pay back hundreds of thousands in payments, as well as fines, with interest.
Digital Trends Live: Stablecoin expert discusses all things cryptocurrency
Today on Digital Trends Live, we talked with the CEO of Pareto Network, Eric Lamison-White. His company is a market-insight platform that is focused on cryptocurrency. We discussed Stablecoin, which is a way to protect your cryptocurrency, as well as what the future holds for Bitcoin.
Abode System’s Iota DIY home security kit is now available
Abode Systems has an all-in-one security kit for your home. It's called Iota. It features a high-quality, 1080p camera, integrated motion sensor, and on-board Wi-Fi and ethernet so it can stay connected no matter where you put it. It is also compatible with Abode's short- and long-term monitoring plans.
‘Blockchain gaming’ startup gets $16 million in Series A funding
A new gaming startup, Mythical Games, has raised $16 million in Series A funding to work on their concept of blockchain gaming. The aim is for the startup to develop games for the PC, console, and mobile markets which use the blockchain for the distribution and tracking of in-game items.
Hublot’s newest luxury watch costs $25,000, and you can only pay in Bitcoin
The Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 P2P is the latest luxury timepiece from the watch brand, and is a special limited edition made to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Bitcoin. Eager buyers must use the cryptocurrency to buy one, and they'll need substantial virtual wallets to afford the $25,000 price tag.
Nearly 700,000 websites are hacked in bid to steal cryptocurrency
Popular web analytics platform Statcounter experienced a breach on November 3, according to research from malware researcher Matthieu Faou. Up to 700,000 websites were targetted in the breach which primarily aimed to steal cryptocurrency through a malicious Javascript script on websites running Statcounter code.
As Amazon turns up the volume on streaming, Spotify should shudder
Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and others are all looking to capitalize on the popularity of streaming music. But, as Spotify's quarterly revenue has shown, it's nearly impossible to make a profit under the current structure. Could major tech companies like Amazon be primed for a streaming take-over?
10 years of Bitcoin: How a geeky cryptocurrency changed the world
From its birth 10 years ago, Bitcoin has grown from fledgling cryptocurrency proof-of-concept into a real world cash alternative that's taken seriously by everyone from technologists to governments. How did it get to that point? Check out our handy potted history to find out.
If we want to slow down climate change, we should change how we mine Bitcoin
Bitcoin mining isn't good for climate change. According to a new study coming out of the University of Hawaii Manoa, provided that Bitcoin continues its current trajectory it could produce enough emissions to raise global temperatures by 2 degrees Celsius as soon as 2033.
What’s the point of a blockchain phone? We asked an expert
We cut through the hype and look at the reasons behind the current wave of blockchain phones, what they can do, and what they might be do in the future. You’ll find out what exactly what a blockchain phone is, how it can handle crypto assets, and who might want to buy one.
Ripple cryptocurrency jumps 70 percent in 24 hours after news of bank deal
A tease that the Ripple (XRP) cryptocurrency might soon be adopted by a number of banks to speed up and ease international money transfers has sent its value skyrocketing. In 24 hours, it reached its highest value in 2018, jumping more than 70 percent in some cases and XRP trades even top Bitcoin in the past 24 hours.
Giant wind farm in Morocco will help mine cryptocurrency, conserve energy
One of the windiest parts of Morocco is set to get a $2 billion, 900MW wind farm power plant, which could help power eco-friendly cryptocurrency mining in a more environmentally friendly way. Here's what is being planned -- and why this is an important step for the future.
Crazy vending machine swaps computer art for your permanent selfie
Coder artist Matthias Dörfelt has created a camera-equipped vending machine called Face Trade, which promises to swap unique prints of computer-generated faces for the rights to upload your selfie onto the main Ethereum blockchain. Here's what it says about privacy in 2018.
A vigilante botnet is taking out crypto-jacking malware
A new botnet with links to the Satori botnet has been spotted in the wild by security researchers. Known as Fbot, it doesn't look to spread malware though. It destroys it. It searches websites for a particular piece of crypto-jacking malware, takes it over, and then destroys it, deleting itself in the process.
Those $1 Bitcoins at Walmart have one big catch — they’re made of chocolate
Walmart's new Bitcoin chocolate coins are priced at just $1 a pack, giving cryptocurrency investors the chance to hold something real in their hands for the first time. Better yet, if they ever get tired of 'holding' their investment, they can always just tear off the faux-gold wrapper and eat them.
Cat got your wallet? CryptoKitties virtual feline fetches $170K in crypto cash
If you thought you paid a lot for in-app purchases to enjoy your latest mobile game, think again. A CryptoKitty named Dragon was recently sold on Etherum-based CryptoKitties, a game that's based on blockchain, for the equivalent of $170,000. In case you were wondering, that's a record.
Police bust a massive interstate SIM card hijacking ring
Law enforcement agents in Flordia and other states have joined to break up an interstate cybercrime ring that used hijacked SIM cards to steal cryptocurrencies and cash from victims. The group's biggest score came in May of this year when members worked together to steal 57 Bitcoins from a single victim.
Hacker plays ‘Doom’ on John McAfee’s ‘unhackable’ BitFi Bitcoin wallet
A hacker has managed to get Doom running on John McAfee's allegedly unhackable Bitcoin wallet by rooting the device. Although that didn't qualify him for the $250,000 award for stealing the coins from the wallet's storage, it does suggest that hackers aren't far from completing that supposedly impossible feat.
Google bets on blockchain technology with two new Google Cloud partnerships
Google will support distributed ledger technology, aka blockchain, on the Google Cloud Platform. The reveal arrives by way of the company’s announcement regarding the Google Cloud Next ’18 conference in San Francisco. Google will have a 50-minute session talking about developing blockchain apps.
Chinese authorities break up billion-dollar cryptocurrency gambling ring
Chinese law enforcement authorities have broken up a more than 1.5 billion-dollar gambling ring that made use of the dark web and cryptocurrencies to facilitate betting on the outcome of the World Cup.The action was part of a larger crackdown on illegal betting on the World Cup tournament.
Money-laundering ‘Bitcoin Maven’ receives one-year prison sentence
Theresa Tetley of Los Angeles, also known as the Bitcoin Maven, gets sentenced to one year in prison. The prison term is down from the 30 months that she faced for running an unlicensed money transmission business and, in at least one instance, exchanging Bitcoin for cash that came from illegal means.
Sirin Labs’ crypto-phone could change the way we pay
If blockchain technology, tokens, hot and cold wallets, and all the other cryptocurrency buzzwords have put you off learning about and using this fascinating technology, Sirin Labs is making the phone for you. It’s called the Finney, and it wants to make cryptocurrency as easy as Apple Pay.
What is Ethereum?
New cryptocurrencies are sprouting out of thin air all of the time, but only a few have had a lasting impact. Ethereum is one such cryptocurrency, despite only being a couple of years old. It's one of the most valuable and has enabled the creation of many others. What is Ethereum? It's one of the most exciting cryptocurrencies.
These are the largest Bitcoin mining farms in the world
With all the cryptocurrency hubbub in the world these days, it's not surprise that some giants in the money making market have appeared. Whether they assist others with mining, or do it themselves, here's some of the largest farms and pools in the world.
A look into Bitcoin’s troubled year
Last year, Bitcoin seemed nearly unstoppable, but things have changed and not for the better. The currency recently dropped to less than $6,000 which is a far cry from the lofty heights of last year or even earlier this year.
What is Bitcoin?
What is Bitcoin? It's a question that many recent investors might struggle to answer effectively because cryptocurrencies are a whole world unto themselves. Getting your head around the basics is important if you want to know what you're getting into before buying buying into the latest crypto-craze.
Why Mastercard is ripping a page from Bitcoin’s book
Mastercard wants to use the inherent security of blockchain to make money more intuitive and less hackable. Its new blockchain patents seeks to put an end to credit card skimmers. Regardless of what you think about cryptocurrency, the largest financial institutions are transforming real money to be more like it every day.
Was late 2017 cryptocurrency spike artificially inflated?
A new report stemming from the University of Texas at Austin claims that the big surge in cryptocurrency values during 2017 was artificially created using a digital currency called Tether. The report focuses on Bitfinex, one of the largest unregulated digital currency exchanges on the market.
Why a 19-year-old Bitcoin millionaire built a working Dr. Octopus suit
What would you do if you were a 19-year-old kid with $3.3 million? There are few people more equipped to answer that than teenaged bitcoin millionaire Erik Finman. His answer? You use some of that cash to build a Doctor Octopus-style exosuit and try and shake up the education system.