Platforms

P2P Protocol Aims to Simplify Crypto Wallet Transactions With Domain Names

A new protocol is hoping to make peer-to-peer transactions between various wallets and cryptocurrencies simpler for users.FIO Protocol, which launched its mainnet chain on March 26, provides users with interoperable domain names instead of alphanumeric blockchain addresses.An acronym for the “Foundation For Interwallet Operability,” the FIO protocol is live on Trust Wallet and is in the process of integrating with several popular wallet providers — including Bitcoin.com, Edge, Enjin, Coinomi and Atomic.Rather than integrating directly with blockchains, the project offers a decentralized and open-source “usability layer” that integrates with services

Streamr to Offer Binance’s Real-Time Trade Feeds on Marketplace

Open-source blockchain infrastructure Streamr announced on April 7 a new integration with cryptocurrency exchange Binance, in which Streamr will offer the exchange's real-time trade feeds on its marketplace.From now on, Binance’s real-time trades and quotes data for all asset pairs will be available on Streamr, with the aim of targeting algorithmic traders.According to Streamr, traders will now be able to obtain sentiment data and data from other markets via a single technical integration.Motivations behind the partnershipSpeaking with Cointelegraph, Henri Pihkala, co-founder and CEO of Streamr, said that with crypto exchanges serving

Notable Dark Web Marketplace Bans All COVID-19 Vaccine Sale 

In a rare move that has perhaps never been seen before, a marketplace on the dark web has banned the sale of a self-proclaimed vaccine for the coronavirus pandemic. According to a tweet from noted tech author Eileen Ormsby, Monopoly Market, a popular platform on the dark web, has banned the sale of purported vaccines for the coronavirus for Bitcoin.Darknet market Monopoly has taken a more responsible approach to touting #COVID19 "cures" on their #darkweb site pic.twitter.com/uWFLx75deQ— Eileen Ormsby (@EileenOrmsby) April 1, 2020Honor Among Criminals As the tweet showed, the market’s administrator pointed

Charities Are Turning to Bitcoin Amid the Global Fight Against Coronavirus

In the war against the novel coronavirus, cryptocurrencies are emerging as a much-needed tool for charity and fundraising projects. Already there are a number of large nonprofits accepting Bitcoin donations. Plus, some blockchain and crypto firms are contributing medical supplies to hospitals in an attempt to curb the virus, while others are setting up fundraisers and charities that are aimed at helping its victims.As a number of nonprofits continue to accept cryptocurrency donations, they are starting to realize that crypto transactions significantly reduce costs in terms of fees. Here are

Vonage Co-Founder Launches Decentralized Videochat App to Battle Zoom

Jeff Pulver, a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) pioneer and the co-founder of Vonage, has launched a decentralized application (dApp) that claims to provide the “most secure end-to-end business communications network” available.The move follows reports last week that rival videochat app Zoom exposed personally identifiable information and private conversations on the open web.Centralized data storage provides a centralized point of failureAccording to Pulver, the problem with existing communication solutions is that they route all business and personal data through one central point. This creates a huge security threat to confidential

New Zealand Financial Regulator Warns Public About ‘Profit Bitcoin’ Scam

Amid the apparent global surge of cryptocurrency-related scams, New Zealand’s financial regulator has warned the public against another suspected Bitcoin (BTC) investment scam scheme.In an April 6 statement, the country’s major financial watchdog, the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), issued an official warning against “Profit Bitcoin” — an alleged get-rich-quick scam that promises returns by using software that “wins” Bitcoin trades with “99.4% accuracy.”Scam purportedly involved false claims from the New Zealand’s governmentThe FMA noted that the entity and its website, theprofitbtc.com, have the “hallmarks of a scam,” emphasizing that Profit

Factom Creditor Refuses Funding Request, Forced Into Liquidation

Factom, a blockchain company, has failed to secure further funding to sustain itself. As a result, the company has now been forced to begin the process of liquidation.Liquidation After Failure To Get More FundingThrough a notice published on the 2nd of April, 2020, FastForward, the largest investor within the company, announced the “dissolution event” to the public. Through the statement, FastForward explained that the Factom directors within the 31st of March board meeting had come to a conclusion. This conclusion was that, due to the lack of future funding being

Factom Facing Liquidation After Creditor Refuses Request for Funding

After failing to source additional funding, blockchain company Factom has begun the process of being liquidated. In an April 2 notice to investors, Factom’s largest investor FastForward announced the “dissolution event”: "The Company has been notified by the directors of Factom that in a board meeting on 31 March 2020 they concluded that, in the absence of further funding, they now needed to begin the process of assignment of assets for the benefit of creditors.”Citing their failure to secure additional funding, FastForward declared Factom would now enter receivership. As Factom’s largest creditor,

Darknet Market to Permanently Ban Vendors Preying on COVID-19 Fears

Dark web marketplace, Monopoly Market, has taken a stand against scammers claiming to sell cures and treatments for COVID-19 on its platform.On other darknet platforms, listings are rife with coronavirus keywords — with vendors selling everything from narcotic cocktails marketed as ‘coronavirus vaccines,’ to coronavirus-infected blood and saliva.Monopoly Market to ban vendors using coronavirus as ‘marketing tool’On April 2, dark web journalist, Eileen Ormsby, tweeted a screenshot posted by Monopoly Market’s operator that threatened permanent bans against vendors “caught flogging goods as a ‘cure’ to Coronavirus.”“We have class here,” the

Both Crypto Derivatives and Spot Markets Post Record Volume in March

CryptoCompare has published its monthly report analyzing the trade activity on crypto exchanges.The record-breaking crash of March 12 and 13 drove new all-time volume highs in both the spot and derivatives markets.March 13 sets record for daily spot tradesThe report states that March 13 produced the single greatest volume in the history of crypto assets — with all exchanges and markets producing $75.9 billion in trade activity over 24 hours.$54.3 billion of 71.5% of trades came from ‘Lower Tier’ exchanges, while ‘Top Tier’ exchanges generated $21.6 billion in volume.Despite Binance

Africa Using Blockchain to Drive Change, Part Two: Southern Solutions

With pundits like Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey predicting that Africa “will define” the future of Bitcoin (BTC), cryptocurrency and blockchain technology continue to attract interest from both public and private establishments across the continent. Many of these adoption cases have been moving beyond finance, developing solutions targeted at issues like unemployment, identity management, health care and supply chain, among others.Amid the growing enthusiasm for crypto and blockchain technology in Africa, industry stakeholders interviewed by Cointelegraph identify a lack of education as one of the major hurdles standing in the way of more