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Robinhood's Dogecoin Problem; Crypto’s Recruiting Advantage

By Hannah Miller · July 1, 2021 2:48 PM PDT

Robinhood’s initial public offering filing shows just how entwined the trading platform is with cryptocurrency. Around 17%, or $87.6 million, of the company’s transaction-based revenue in the first quarter of 2021 came from crypto transactions, according to the paperwork unveiled today. The connection between the two might not be mutually... Robinhood’s initial public offering filing shows just how entwined the trading platform is with...

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, shown in 2017. Photo: Bloomberg

Coinbase’s App Store Ambitions; BitGo’s Coin Vaults

By Hannah Miller · June 30, 2021 2:49 PM PDT

Apple’s legal battle over its control of the App Store hasn’t swayed Coinbase from wanting to become the cryptocurrency equivalent of the tech giant when it comes to selling apps. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said in a blog post Tuesday that he wants to open a marketplace for decentralized apps, which run on blockchains and other... Apple’s legal battle over its control of the App Store hasn’t swayed Coinbase from wanting to...

Tom Brady celebrating a Super Bowl victory in February. Photo: AP

Biometric Blockchain; FTX Adds Tom Brady to Lineup

By Hannah Miller · June 29, 2021 3:26 PM PDT

Today we learned of a cryptocurrency startup that aims to put a new twist on distributing payments. Worldcoin uses biometric data from a person’s eyes to help people receive cryptocurrency payments through a blockchain-style network, according to a Bloomberg report. The company has developed a basketball-shaped device that can detect the... Today we learned of a cryptocurrency startup that aims to put a new twist on distributing...

Mike Sullivan

New Regulatory Roadblocks; Preserving a Pro-Democracy Daily

By Hannah Miller · June 28, 2021 2:15 PM PDT

Mike Sullivan

New Regulatory Roadblocks; Preserving a Pro-Democracy Daily

By Hannah Miller · June 28, 2021 2:15 PM PDT

More regulatory stumbling blocks have cropped up for cryptocurrency. Robinhood’s initial public offering has been delayed because of questions the Securities and Exchange Commission had over its crypto business. On Saturday, regulators banned top crypto exchange Binance from operating in the U.K. Binance also pulled out of Ontario on Friday... More regulatory stumbling blocks have cropped up for cryptocurrency. Robinhood’s initial public...

Art: Mike Sullivan

A Boost From Andreessen; BitMEX’s Reputation Rehabilitation

By Hannah Miller · June 24, 2021 2:57 PM PDT

In a week marked by heightened volatility, cryptocurrency got some positive news: Andreessen Horowitz announced its third crypto fund with a whopping valuation of $2.2 billion. The investment firm’s new commitment on crypto is a reminder that despite some gloomy signals—Coinbase’s lackluster stock performance in the months after its direct... In a week marked by heightened volatility, cryptocurrency got some positive news: Andreessen...

crypto startups

Bitcoin’s Loss Could Be Stablecoins’ Gain

By Hannah Miller · June 23, 2021 3:20 PM PDT

The latest volatility in the cryptocurrency market appears to be giving stablecoins a boost, as crypto investors gravitate toward currencies seen as less vulnerable to sharp gyrations. The market capitalizations of leading stablecoins including tether and USDC have jumped in the past 24 hours, gaining hundreds of millions of dollars. With their... The latest volatility in the cryptocurrency market appears to be giving stablecoins a boost, as...

Mike Sullivan

Why Bitcoin Could Weather China’s Tough Stance

By Hannah Miller · June 22, 2021 3:26 PM PDT

The price of bitcoin hit its lowest point since January on Tuesday before rebounding to climb back above $32,000, as the market continued to process the impact of new mining restrictions in China. Cryptocurrency enthusiasts are equating Beijing’s latest crackdown setback to a rite of passage endured by Facebook and Google. Like the tech... The price of bitcoin hit its lowest point since January on Tuesday before rebounding to climb...

Mike Sullivan

China’s Bid to ‘Squash’ Bitcoin; Mining on the Move

By Hannah Miller · June 21, 2021 3:20 PM PDT

Mike Sullivan

China’s Bid to ‘Squash’ Bitcoin; Mining on the Move

By Hannah Miller · June 21, 2021 3:20 PM PDT

Bitcoin prices tumbled Monday after China took fresh steps to rein in cryptocurrency activity by shutting down mining operations in Sichuan province. Ostensibly, Beijing’s latest move was tied to concerns about crypto mining’s toll on the environment. The new crackdown follows a wave of restrictions designed, in theory, to protect its citizens... Bitcoin prices tumbled Monday after China took fresh steps to rein in cryptocurrency activity by...

Art: Mike Sullivan

Sports NFTs Are No Slam Dunk

By Hannah Miller · June 17, 2021 2:50 PM PDT · 1 comment

The list of pro athletes getting paid in crypto is growing—Landon Cassill will become the first Nascar driver to be compensated entirely in digital currency as part of a sponsorship deal. He is getting a portfolio of assets that include litecoin and bitcoin. But even as more sports figures and franchises are jumping on the crypto bandwagon,... The list of pro athletes getting paid in crypto is growing—Landon Cassill will become the first...

Murky Regulation Leaves Opening for Other Validators

By Hannah Miller · June 16, 2021 2:47 PM PDT

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s announcement Tuesday that it had brought new charges against three more people in an alleged $30 million initial coin offering fraud in 2017 was a harsh reminder of just how sketchy crypto can be. With crypto’s regulatory landscape unclear, actions like the SEC’s lawsuit are rare and often delayed.... The Securities and Exchange Commission’s announcement Tuesday that it had brought new charges...

Solana’s Raj Gokal and Anatoly Yakovenko. Photo: Solana

Solana’s Bid to Take On Ethereum

By Hannah Miller · June 15, 2021 2:44 PM PDT

Though Bitcoin may be the focus of most cryptocurrency headlines and hype, Ethereum has long been viewed as the platform that enables decentralized finance, one of the most transformative aspects of digital blockchain technology. With its ability to host banking, trading, smart contracts and other financial transactions without involving... Though Bitcoin may be the focus of most cryptocurrency headlines and hype, Ethereum has long been...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Photo: Bloomberg

Bitcoin’s Elon Musk Problem

By Hannah Miller · June 14, 2021 2:58 PM PDT · 1 comment

Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Photo: Bloomberg

Bitcoin’s Elon Musk Problem

By Hannah Miller · June 14, 2021 2:58 PM PDT · 1 comment

The price of bitcoin broke $40,000 Monday for the first time in weeks following another Elon Musk flex. The Tesla CEO tweeted yesterday that the automaker will resume accepting bitcoin payments for vehicles when “there’s confirmation of reasonable (~50%) clean energy usage by miners with positive future trend.” Musk’s tentative peace... The price of bitcoin broke $40,000 Monday for the first time in weeks following another Elon Musk...

Inflation Numbers Support Bitcoin Recovery

By Hannah Miller · June 10, 2021 2:00 PM PDT · 2 comments

Crypto bears may want to go back into hibernation. Today’s inflation news, showing consumer prices rose 5% when compared to 2020, should reinforce the bull case for bitcoin, as a hedge against inflation. The new numbers follow data out of China indicating that the producer price index, a global barometer of inflation, increased 9% in May, the... Crypto bears may want to go back into hibernation. Today’s inflation news, showing consumer...

Crypto’s China Crackdown Intensifies

By Hannah Miller · June 9, 2021 2:46 PM PDT

China’s crypto crackdown is going into overdrive. China arrested more than a thousand people for using crypto in money-laundering today. Meanwhile, China’s most popular internet services, such as Weibo and Baidu, reportedly censored crypto exchanges commonly used by Chinese traders. Typing in the names of exchanges like Huobi, Binance and... China’s crypto crackdown is going into overdrive. China arrested more than a thousand people for...

Why Bitcoin’s Price is Plummeting, How Ransomware Attacks Could Drive Regulation

By Hannah Miller · June 8, 2021 2:15 PM PDT

With Bitcoin prices falling 5% on Tuesday to a little below $33,000, you might think issues dogging crypto—environmental concerns, ransomware and China’s crackdown—have finally caught up with it. “Over the last two months, there really has been a disproportionate amount of bad news,” said David Nage, a managing director at Arca, a digital... With Bitcoin prices falling 5% on Tuesday to a little below $33,000, you might think issues...

What El Salvador’s Bitcoin Recognition Could Mean; Bitcoin Maximalism in Miami

By Hannah Miller · June 7, 2021 2:29 PM PDT · 1 comment

What El Salvador’s Bitcoin Recognition Could Mean; Bitcoin Maximalism in Miami

By Hannah Miller · June 7, 2021 2:29 PM PDT · 1 comment

Welcome to TI Crypto Global, The Information’s latest newsletter exploring the rapidly changing world of cryptocurrency and blockchain. Why read our newsletter when your inbox already is overflowing? For those of you already working in or investing in crypto, we’ll help you keep tabs on everything that’s happening across the vast landscape... Welcome to TI Crypto Global, The Information’s latest newsletter exploring the rapidly changing...

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