Is Bitcoin Too Volatile to be Used as Currency? 1064

In Davos at this year’s World Economic Forum, Bitcoin has continued to be a polarizing subject, attracting both criticism and praise from business figures, industry experts, and world leaders.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert J. Shiller had the following to say about the cryptocurrency: “I tend to think of Bitcoin as an interesting experiment, not a permanent feature of our lives. We’re over-emphasizing Bitcoin, we should broaden it out to blockchain, which will have other applications.” Shiller is not alone, other Bitcoin critics have conceded that they do see genuine promise in blockchain, the decentralized technology behind cryptocurrencies. Mark Zuckerberg, for example, believes it can be used to improve Facebook.

Bitcoin itself, however, has not yet convinced the large majority of its staying power, this often due to the token’s lack of stability. It hit a record high when it approached $20,000 in mid-December, but then tumbled rapidly, falling to below $12,000 within a few days. As we’ve seen, the token’s value has continued to shift ever since, with frequent drops and recoveries.

Cecilia Skingsley, deputy governor of the Swedish Central Bank, was also skeptical about Bitcoin during the panel session. “It’s too volatile to be used as money,” she asserted. Adding that digital currencies: “Don’t store value, they fluctuate, and they’re not at a stable rate of exchange”. This is the reason payment processor Stripe gave for its decision to end support for payments using Bitcoin. According to the company: “[Bitcoin] evolved to become better-suited to being an asset than being a means of exchange.”

There were, however, others in Davos who saw reasons for optimism. “I think this is one of the most audacious, generous and profound inventions that I’ve witnessed in my career,” said Neil Rimer, general partner and co-founder of Index Ventures SA, during the panel. “We’re nine years into this experiment. It’s gone well at times and quite poorly. It could fail completely and go to zero, but it has accomplished a number of things I think are remarkable.” With regards to regulation, Rimer conceded: “I do think [Bitcoin] needs to be regulated, just like anything I would want to become mainstream should be regulated.”

Cryptocurrencies are a diverse topic, but what’s certain is that the discussions in Davos have further brought it on to the world stage — which can only be a good thing for the cryptosphere. This sentiment is echoed in a statement by Nic Cary, co-founder of cryptocurrency wallet Blockchain, who said: “To us, we are seeing increases in transaction volume and to me, that’s one of the first indicators that more people are using this in their daily lives and that’s really interesting to me.”

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Flutterwave and Token.io Team Up to Provide Pay By Bank Transfer to Users in UK and EU 1627

Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, has collaborated with Token.io, Europe’s leading account-to-account (A2A) payment infrastructure provider, to power Pay By Bank transfer capabilities for Flutterwave’s platform. The announcement was made today at the Money20/20 Europe fintech conference in Amsterdam.

A2A payments (often called ‘Pay By Bank’) are a fast and secure way to move money between bank accounts. Open banking powered A2A payments do not require registration or error-prone data entry, making them a seamless payment method. End-users authenticate A2A payments directly with their bank for a frictionless experience that also delivers higher success rates than market standards. A2A payments offer merchants cost savings compared to traditional payment methods and settle instantly to improve cash flow.

“Our partnership with Token.io will make it even faster and easier for individuals and businesses to pay and receive money,” commented Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, CEO of Flutterwave. “By partnering with Token.io to provide Account-to-Account payments to our customers, Flutterwave will advance its mission of connecting Africa to the global economy,” he added.

“We’re confident that Token.io’s infrastructure will help Flutterwave offer its customers a more comprehensive payment solution, with A2A payments being a key part of this for UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa corridors,” said Todd Clyde, CEO of Token.io. “This partnership underscores our commitment to enabling payment providers to grow with open banking powered A2A payments, which are projected to exceed 6.5 billion in annual global volumes by 2027.”

Powered by open banking, Token.io’s A2A infrastructure enables payment providers to launch their own A2A payment capabilities to grow their market share. Token.io offers the highest performing and deepest connectivity for open banking powered A2A payments in the industry, reaching over 567 million bank accounts (80%+ of accounts per market) in 16 European countries.

Flutterwave is a payments technology company that enables customers including Uber to send and collect payments, process payments, and build financial products. Flutterwave currently supports over a million customers across 34 countries in Africa. Enabled by Token.io’s technology, A2A payment capabilities are now available through Flutterwave’s Collect Payments product for businesses.

Pay By Bank capabilities will also be available on Send by Flutterwave, Flutterwave’s cross-border payment platform, in Q3. This will further simplify money transfer for Africans in the UK/EU looking to send money back home.

For more information on Token visit: https://token.io/

For more information on Flutterwave visit: https://flutterwave.com/

About Flutterwave

Flutterwave is the leading payments technology company that enables businesses across the world to expand their operations in Africa and other emerging markets through a platform that enables local and cross-border transactions via one Application Programming Interface (API). Flutterwave has processed over 400M transactions in excess of USD $25B and serves more than one million businesses, including customers like Uber, Airpeace, Bamboo, Piggyvest, and others. The company’s key advantage is connecting businesses to various local and international payment types to enable them to expand globally. It also enables cross-border transactions from the diaspora to African countries via its SendApp product. Flutterwave processes payments via multiple payment modes, including local and international cards, mobile wallets, bank transfers, and Google Pay. The company has an infrastructure reach in 34 African countries. For more information on Flutterwave’s journey, please visit www.flutterwave.com.

About Token.io

Token.io’s A2A payment infrastructure powered by open banking and built for the payments industry. With the simplest and fastest way to launch Pay by Bank as a core payment method globally, Token.io’s complete infrastructure solution helps payment providers grow their market share in the face of the continued shift from cards to APMs.

Token.io has the deepest connectivity of any provider, reaching 567 million bank accounts (80%+ per market) in 16 supported countries through a single API and interface. It also boasts the industry’s highest performing connectivity. With fast and flexible deployment options, including the option to use Token.io’s licence and conversion boosting payment authentication flows, payment providers can launch A2A capabilities with minimal effort and maximum results.

Token.io’s solution is proven by a blue-chip base of partners, which collectively process payments for tens of millions of merchants worldwide, including HSBC, Mastercard, BNP Paribas, ACI Worldwide, Computop, Nuvei and Paysafe. Token.io is authorised as an AISP and PISP by the FCA in the UK and by BaFin in Germany. Token.io is PSD2 and SCA compliant, and PCI-DSS Level 1 and ISO27001:2013 Certified.

Rollman Mining Marks Its Ascent as the World’s First Provider of Professional Bitcoin Mining for The Everyday Retail and Institutional Investor 2046

With continued rising interest in bitcoin as an asset class, the everyday investor keen on participating in institutional-grade bitcoin mining can now tap into the world’s first provider of these specialised services with Rollman Mining. The multi-strategy firm was created to provide investors of all sizes with a top-tier Bitcoin mining solution that uses renewable energy sources, offering the added benefit of passive investing with a conscience.

Rollman Mining proudly offers access to 50-plus mining locations powered by renewable energy sources and continues to pursue the world’s finest miners, pools, hosting sites, and management solutions. With its personalised approach, it is committed to catering to its clients’ needs every step of the way.

“Before Rollman Mining, institutional grade Bitcoin mining had exclusively been available to institutional investors, rendering it near impossible for retail investors to enter or benefit from this truly revolutionary opportunity,” said Victor Rollman, CEO of Rollman Mining.

Bitcoin is widely acknowledged as a store of value for investors— both big and small — and is viewed as a stable investment with a wide range of potential future applications. As a result, it provides exposure to a highly disruptive asset class that can aid in achieving the appropriate level of diversification in an investor’s portfolio. During periods of political or monetary instability, bitcoin can even be viewed as a “flight to safety” vehicle. Mining it produces 100% to 300% additional profits than purchasing bitcoin outright, according to the company.

“Performance is created over the short and long term,” said Rollman. “It stems from strong convictions about investments capable of meeting the challenges of tomorrow. Our objective is to provide passive income through the best Bitcoin Mining investments, offering a superior return and hedge for any investor looking for the best.”

The firm offers what is called the “Bitman Antminer Series,” which is seen as the most efficient and high-performing, energy-efficient bitcoin mining opportunity. The firm offers a wide range of models, it boasts top-of-the-line features and specs to provide a uniquely competitive advantage.

The firm was founded by a team of financial services experts, traders, engineers, data scientists, operators, and risk managers that share a common interest in professionalising the Bitcoin mining industry. They do so by utilising 10-plus years of experience in the crypto space and 20-plus years in the global financial markets.

Rollman Mining’s products and services are specifically designed to empower clients with crypto-enabled passive income that is secure, stable, hassle-free, and managed by financial services professionals with the experience and know-how to inspire confidence.

ABOUT ROLLMAN MINING

Rollman Mining is the world’s first institutional-grade Bitcoin mining, hosting, and management firm dedicated to making the revolution of passive income available to investors of all sizes. With its two divisions, Retail and Institutional, Rollman Mining is able to cater to any investor with a top-tier Bitcoin mining solution for industry-leading prices.

The firm was founded by a team of financial services experts, traders, engineers, data scientists, operators, and risk managers that are industry leaders. They are the team behind Rollman Capital, Luxembourg’s first institutional asset manager focused on traditional and alternative investments. It has just below €1B in assets under management and is a one-stop shop, providing investors with a hedge for every season in the market. Its actively managed fund provides investors with a combination of hard-to-access, multi-cap, and multi-strategy exposure to stocks, forex, commodities, indices, cryptocurrencies, and Rollman Capital’s passive income vehicle Lending.

Find out more about Rollman Mining: www.rollmanmining.com

Binance Receives Coveted Security and Privacy Certifications 2145

Binance, the world’s leading blockchain and crypto infrastructure provider, announced today that it has been awarded the coveted ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certifications for information security governance and privacy information management in three jurisdictions across Europe and the Middle East: France, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Binance secured the ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certificates as an organization meeting the internationally recognized standards in information security governance and privacy information management, respectively. Building robust security and privacy measures has always been a key priority for Binance, and these ISO certifications are a testament to the company’s consistent efforts on these fronts.

A-LIGN, the external auditor, – a technology-driven security and compliance partner trusted by more than 4,000 global organizations to help mitigate cybersecurity risks – awarded the two ISO certifications to Binance following a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of the security and privacy domains of its operations.

“Information security governance is a critical aspect of modern organizations. With these internationally recognized certifications, Binance demonstrates that it has established effective controls and protections,” said Jimmy Su, Chief Security Officer at Binance. “Users and clients on our platform can be assured that their assets and information are protected in line with the latest global standards. We have a team of highly experienced security professionals that are continuously improving, adapting, and innovating to ensure that Binance remains at the forefront of safeguarding the blockchain ecosystem.”

Stewart Thompson, Chief Data Protection Officer at Binance, added: “Users are at the heart of everything we do at Binance, which is why we’ve made privacy information management a key priority within the company. Our data protection team works closely with other teams – including security, legal, compliance, and operations – to ensure that Binance meets the strong global privacy requirements. We’re glad to see our teams’ efforts rewarded with these independently accredited certifications. This is a significant milestone for us at Binance, as we continue to advance security and privacy standards within the blockchain space.”

Moving forward, Binance will be undergoing annual surveillance audits to ensure continued conformity with the standards set out within the ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certifications. There are also plans to expand the certifications to other regions and obtain additional internationally recognized security, privacy, and compliance certifications.

Undergoing third-party audits of our security and compliance practices is part of Binance’s broader commitment to building trust and reliability within the blockchain ecosystem through adherence to industry standards and regulations.

About Binance.com

Binance is the world’s leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider with a financial product suite that includes the largest digital asset exchange by trading volume. Trusted by millions worldwide, the Binance platform is dedicated to increasing the freedom of money for users and features an unmatched portfolio of crypto products and offerings, including trading and finance, education, data and research, social good, investment and incubation, decentralization and infrastructure solutions, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.com

About A-LIGN

A-LIGN is the only end-to-end cybersecurity compliance solutions provider delivering compliance automation software paired with professional audit services, trusted by more than 4,000 global organizations to help mitigate cybersecurity risks. A-LIGN uniquely delivers a single-provider holistic approach as a licensed CPA firm of SOC 1 and SOC 2 Audit services, accredited ISO 27001, ISO 27701, and ISO 22301 Certification Body, HITRUST CSF Assessor firm, accredited FedRAMP 3PAO, authorized CMMC C3PAO, PCI Qualified Security Assessor Company, and PCI SSC registered Secure Software Assessor Company. Working with growing businesses to global enterprises, A-LIGN’s experts and its compliance automation platform, A-SCEND, are transforming the compliance experience.

Teranode Teases Upcoming Upgrade of BSV Network to Enable Unbounded Scaling 3078

Today, at the third and final day of the London Blockchain Conference, Jake Jones, Head of Network Infrastructure at the Bitcoin Association for BSV, discussed ‘Teranode’, a scalable Bitcoin node software. With the ultimate goal of creating unbounded scaling, Jones detailed the requirements for achievement, including deploying horizontal scaling and microservices.

Drawing parallels to the popularity of streaming but also consumer frustrations with having to subscribe to multiple platforms, Jones asked the audience, “What if streaming services were using blockchain? Currently, 80% of all internet traffic consists of video streaming. A world in which unbounded scaling-enabled blockchain technology is utilized for streaming would allow consumers to only pay for the specific shows or movies they want, rather than having to subscribe to multiple platforms.”

Interoperability was also discussed as one of the many benefits that results from unbounded scaling, which would allow a frictionless exchange between digital versions of currencies like the pound, yen and dollar.

And finally, Jones discussed the challenges of the current internet infrastructure. Specifically casting a light on the practices of large services like Amazon Web Services or Google, which store volumes of personal data, and thus are subject to cyber attacks (e.g. Equifax). With unbounded scaling, the BSV blockchain model would disincentive hackers from even attempting to steal one’s information.

This was not the only news from the Bitcoin Association for BSV this week, as Connor Murray, Stewardship Director, and Martin Coxall, Marketing Director announced that the association has been granted stewardship of the Bitcoin protocol. Murray and Coxall noted that as stewards and the network authority, the Bitcoin Association for BSV will set out to build and maintain the core infrastructure as originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto.

About Bitcoin Association for BSV

Bitcoin Association for BSV is a non-profit association (Verein) in Switzerland and the global industry organisation which advances Bitcoin SV (BSV). It brings together enterprises, start-up ventures, developers, merchants, exchanges, service providers, blockchain transaction processors (miners), and others in the Bitcoin SV ecosystem. The Association supports Bitcoin SV as the original Bitcoin, with a stable protocol and massive scaling roadmap to becoming the world’s new money and global blockchain for enterprise. The organisation seeks to build a regulation-friendly ecosystem that fosters lawful conduct while encouraging digital currency and blockchain innovation.

About the London Blockchain Conference

NETWORK. LEARN. ENGAGE.

 At the London Blockchain Conference, we show how the BSV Blockchain will change the world and help people see another way to manage data, build scalable on-chain solutions and achieve great things. We do this by creating valuable, insightful, and engaging events that educate and inform, allowing you to connect and network to build strong business relationships. Our conference is the best avenue to see blockchain innovations, big ecosystem announcements, new product launches, technology updates, keynote speeches, panels, and fireside chats from blockchain leaders. Join us and experience it for yourself.

Demox Labs Launches Leo Wallet and Raises $4.5 Million To Build Zero Knowledge Proof Blockchain Infrastructure 3203

Demox Labs, a pioneer in the creation of zero-knowledge technology, today announced it has raised a $4.5 million pre-seed funding round and debuted Leo Wallet, a first-of-its-kind privacy-focused cryptocurrency wallet for use with the Aleo blockchain. The funding round was led by HackVC with participation from DCVC, Amplify Partners, Coinbase Ventures, CRV, OpenSea, and CSquared. The funding will be used to support the creation of zero-knowledge blockchain infrastructure for enterprises, deploy privacy-based frameworks for innovative developers, and advance Leo Wallet’s privacy technology and interoperability with other blockchains.

Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) allow a piece of information to be verified as true without revealing the information itself through the use of complex encryption. The applications of this technology include digital identity protection, privacy-preserving transactions, shielded transactions, global compliance, and ownership verification.

“Personal privacy and sovereignty are cornerstones to any democracy. Today, citizens across the world are losing their privacy in order to comply with necessary laws and regulations. Moreover, modern technologies require personalization but this personalization has come with the cost of sacrificing personal privacy. Leo Wallet is just one example of how ZKP will empower individuals to use modern technologies and maintain legal and regulatory compliance without sacrificing personal privacy,” said Barron Caster, CEO and co-founder of Demox Labs. “We’re eager to bring this much-needed level of privacy to blockchain infrastructure, starting with Leo Wallet. Sharing sensitive data will soon become an option, not a requirement, and businesses in highly regulated industries will be able to innovate while maintaining the privacy of their customers.”

Leo Wallet was built from the ground up for zero-knowledge blockchains and had more than 40,000 customers signed up on the waitlist when it was made available for download and use on the Aleo blockchain. Users now have the ability to generate ZKPs directly in their browsers which guarantees complete confidentiality and empowers developers to create innovative, privacy-first programs.

The $4.5 million funding round will be used to further Demox Labs’ mission to increase control and protection of sensitive information through the use of ZKPs. This includes the support of Leo Wallet and its compatibility with other privacy-focused blockchains, creating new privacy frameworks for developers, and supporting the development of zero-knowledge technology for enterprises. A portion of the round was funded by notable investors in the crypto and blockchain industries including Santiago Santos, Sriram Krishnan, Ryan Selkis, OpenSea, Space Whale, and venture decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs): HoneyDAO and AngelDAO.

“The introduction of blockchain technology and popular cryptocurrencies ushered in a new era of financial independence and now ZKP-based technology and infrastructure will push consumers and companies into a new era of information privacy. The technology being developed today by Demox Labs makes them one of the first to recognize the importance of privacy and act on the capabilities of ZKP for both the public and enterprises.” said Ed Roman, managing director of HackVC. “As the need for protection and privacy in the digital era increases, ZKPs will become a more significant technology across many domains. Our investment will enable Demox Labs’ continued growth as a leader in privacy-preserving blockchain technology development and infrastructure.”

Demox Labs’ work to expand ZKP infrastructure and the Leo Wallet unlocks access to an unmatched level of privacy for users of this emerging technology. By improving privacy and security, ZKP technology will increase trust between individuals and institutions which can unlock new levels of economic activity. Leo Wallet was created to initially integrate with Aleo Blockchain, which plans to launch its mainnet later this year. Demox Labs plans to scale Leo Wallet over the coming months for use with other zero-knowledge blockchains.

Download and use Leo Wallet today by visiting www.leo.app, and get in touch with Demox Labs by visiting www.demoxlabs.xyz.

Developers building decentralized applications for Aleo can find the Leo Wallet adapter code on Demox Labs’ Github.

About Demox Labs

Demox Labs is pioneering the use of zero-knowledge proofs to preserve user privacy and increase the adoption of zero-knowledge blockchain technology among individuals and enterprises. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in San Francisco, the company provides solutions for developers to create innovative products for zero-knowledge blockchains and launched its first public product, Leo Wallet, in the spring of 2023. Demox Labs raised a $4.5 million pre-seed round of funding in May of 2023, led by HackVC with participation from DCVC, Amplify Partners, Coinbase Ventures, CRV, OpenSea, and CSquared. To stay up to date with the latest developments from Demox Labs and Leo Wallet, follow @DemoxLabs and @theLeoWallet.

CoolWallet Pro Celebrates Anniversary with Limited Edition Designs by International Artists 3462

CoolBitX, the leading hardware wallet maker, is proud to announce the launch of an exclusive collection in celebration of CoolWallet Pro’s anniversary. This eclectic special edition features three renowned international artists: Neontenic from Italy, Senbenito from France, and Sergi Tugas from Spain. The exceptional collaborations bring together the worlds of art and technology, offering users a truly unique and visually captivating experience.

Italy’s Neontenic, the acclaimed synthwave musician, is known for his futurist style that transforms synthetic sound into mesmerizing visual images, while French-born Senbenito, a similarly distinguished infrared photographer and artist, is celebrated for his captivating retrowave aesthetics that transports viewers to a spirited world of metropolitan neon lights for a vibrant and electrifying visual experience.

Finally, Spanish visionary surrealist artist, Sergi Tugas, brings his unique conceptual style to the CoolWallet Pro limited edition collection, in a celebration of his country’s continued love story with the art of surrealism that dates back to the days of Dali and Goya. With his captivating artwork, Sergi captures raw emotions, taking us on a contemplative journey to explore dreams, fear, society, and humanity.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with these extraordinary artists to commemorate the anniversary of CoolWallet Pro,” said Michael Ou, CEO at CoolBitX.

“Their exceptional talent and unique artistic styles perfectly complement the innovative technology and design of CoolWallet Pro, resulting in another truly special limited edition collection.”

The limited edition CoolWallet Pro designs by Neontenic, Senbenito, and Sergi Tugas will be available for purchase starting from June 1st, 2023, exclusively through CoolBitX’s official website coolwallet.io.

Lovers of art that intersects with cryptocurrency and NFT culture are advised not to miss this opportunity to collect and own a piece of digital art that seamlessly integrates with advanced hardware wallet security.

About CoolBitX and CoolWallet

CoolBitX is a leading provider of secure, user-friendly, and innovative blockchain security solutions. With a mission to bridge the gap between blockchain technology and the mass market, CoolBitX develops advanced hardware wallets and related blockchain technology products. Their flagship product, CoolWallet Pro, offers users unrivaled security features combined with a sleek and intuitive design.

About the Artists

Neontenic (Italy)
Biography: Neontenic is a celebrated synthwave musician and artist from Italy. Famed for his futurist style, his design transforms synthetic sound into a panoply of impactful visual imagery, inviting us to embark on an optical adventure of melodic escapade.

Senbenito (France)
Biography: Senbenito is an infrared photographer and artist from France. Celebrated for his retrowave aesthetics, his creation transports us into a spirited world of metropolitan neon lights.

Sergi Tugas (Spain)
Biography: Sergi is a surrealist artist from Spain. Known for his conceptual style, his artwork captures raw emotions that take us on a contemplative journey to explore dreams, fear, society, and humanity.