Tag: Cryptocurrency

The Story: Much of the public now understands, at least in general terms, what a "cryptocurrency" is. What is not so widely understood, though, is...

Former Chief Technology Officer of New Jersey Dave Weinstein discusses the recent cyber attacks. FOX News operates the FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Radio, FOX News Headlines 24/7, FOXNews.com and the direct-to-consumer streaming service, FOX…

On the backdrop of recent developments concerning the status and the future of cryptocurrencies in India, Bitcoin has been dragged into a political scandal between the country’s two major parties. A Massive Bitcoin Scam of more than ?5000 Cr has surfaced in Gujarat https://t.co/KR74Xc7skM via @Siyasat Network — Shaktisinh Gohil (@shaktisinhgohil) July 6, 2018 During a press conference, the Congress representative claimed BJP leadership participated in a scam in the state of Gujarat involving the conversion of “black money” through hawala and bitcoin transactions. According to Gohil, the “massive multi-layer extortion and hawala scam” was carried out by some top BJP leaders to the tune of at least 5,000 crore rupees, almost $730 million, Crypto News reported. One of the main allegations is that BJP politicians have used bitcoin to convert illicit money and transfer them to businessmen in Gujarat during the demonetization, which was used as a cover. The latest idea is to use blockchain in the management of fertilizer subsidies. We thought that blockchain technology might add real value to a part of the food industry such as a slaughterhouse, whose work requires a lot of inspection and collation of results,” said FSA information management head Sian Thomas, quoted by the specialized outlet Foodprocessing Technology. Starting this September, employers will be able to verify the authenticity of any digital diplomas issued by the university on its official website, which provides a convenient and fast verification service. They can send BCH to phone numbers or BCH addresses communicating with the blockchain through an SMS gateway. Another positive development involving Bitcoin Cash this week was the announcement that Japanese exchange and wallet provider Bitpoint had started accepting BCH through its Bitpointpay service. The application has been upgraded to add support for BCH payments as part of efforts to expand payment options.

Fellow Democrats Dave Min and Brian Forde clashed over accepting cryptocurrencies as donations while running for California’s 45th Congressional race. Back in September 2017, Austin Petersen, a Senate candidate in Missouri also began accepting Bitcoin for campaign contributions. Winston Edmonson, a four-time mayoral candidate in the Texas city of Lewisville, proposed the issuance of a municipal cryptocurrency as means of funding the local police force without having to raise taxes. As such, one would expect for it to be substantiated with facts, as politics is all about hard facts and decisions based on them, right? According to Axios, Min’s campaign manager failed to provide any reasonable merit for these serious accusations. As a matter of fact, as if she’s realized that the ad might have gone a bit too far, she states that while Min “is a huge believer in the potential of distributed ledger technology,” his primary concerns are focused towards some “deregulatory agenda being pushed by Bitcoin and cryptocurrency enthusiasts.” Despite refusing to provide any straightforward specifics, Min’s campaign manager pointed towards Brock Pierce as one of Forde’s leading Bitcoin donors. To this, Forde responded that: Pierce, while extremely controversial, has never publicly said he opposes ‘cracking down on drug deals and human trafficking.’ Indeed, starting beef of that kind seems quite sensational, but it should at least be backed by certain spot-on facts so that it doesn’t deflate as soon as someone questions it. Yes, Bitcoin is used by criminals, and so are other digital currencies. So much so, in fact, that it has been confirmed by official authorities and institutions throughout the entire world. Do you agree with Dave Min’s position on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies’ usage for human trafficking and drug deals?

What to watch: The festival starts in Austin today. Watch for panels on tech industry trends like cryptocurrencies and voice assistants, the growing presence of lawmakers, a particular interest in media, and especially Facebook’s growing influence. Oh yeah, and Ethan Hawke will be there. Trends: “Crypto": There’s a noticeable number of panels and events focused on everything from blockchain tech to digital tokens, which is not surprising given the past year’s boom. Artificial intelligence: As in past years, there are a lot of panels on what's next in AI — everything from how it could be used in operating rooms to how to "hack" the ugly problem of racial bias. Voice assistants: Continuing a trend from January’s CES trade show, companies like Amazon and Google will seek to showcase their voice assistants. You can watch Bernie Sanders talk to Jake Tapper, or listen to Sen. Mark Warner talk about "hacking our democracy," or hear Rep. Darrell Issa talk about patent trolls. Media: As usual, media outlets (including this one) are flocking to the festival, and companies like Apple and YouTube are sending their top execs. #MeToo: 2017 was a breakthrough year for addressing gender issues, so it's no surprise to see those conversations spill into this festival (which has had its own sexism controversies). Some events recommended by Axios editors: "Tech Under Trump: A 2017/2018 Scorecard," featuring Matt Lira of the White House Office of American Innovation and CareJourney's Aneesh Chopra Catch Axios at these events: