Crypto wallet Blockchain.com has hired former Goldman Sachs executive Breanne Madigan as the head of institutional sales and strategy, CNBC reports today, April 17. Madigan had worked at Goldman Sachs from 2003 to 2017 as an associate, vice president, and finally as the head of institutional wealth services, a department that managed $1.49 trln worth of total assets in 2017, CNBC reports. Blockchain.com, which has 24 mln active wallets according to CNBC, added a buy and sell feature for Bitcoin (BTC) – with Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) promised soon after – in 22 US states in mid-January of …

After investment tycoon Tim Draper said earlier this week that Bitcoin (BTC) could hit $250,000 by 2022, CNBC Fast Money’s Brian Kelly has supported this prediction in a CNBC interview from yesterday, April 13. In response to a question about Draper’s high prediction, Kelly responded that although “it sounds crazy,” when one considers that BTC already had a 4,000 percent return over two years, a 3,000 percent return over four years could be a “continuation of the trend we’ve seen.” Kelly continues by noting that an increase of institutionalized money into the crypto sphere - Rockefeller’s VC arm, a Goldman …

Cryptocurrency merchant bank Galaxy Digital, founded and run by former Wall Street exec Mike Novogratz, will reportedly be hiring Goldman Sachs executive Richard Kim as its new chief operating officer, Bloomberg reported yesterday, April 9. “Crypto capitalist” Anthony Pompliano posted on Twitter that the “brain drain from Wall Street continues.” Richard Kim, a former VP at Goldman Sachs, is joining Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital as Chief Operating Officer. The brain drain from Wall Street continues. ?? — Pomp ? (@APompliano) April 9, 2018 Novogratz – who is one of crypto’s richest people in the world according to Forbes – left …

The demand for Bitcoin and the rush to invest in the digital coin are growing daily. Despite the criticism and ‘fraud’ accusations, great names like Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are thinking about introducing a cryptocurrencies trading desk and what kind of legal bottlenecks are involved. Image: the street It was reported earlier that the company is considering the possibility for its investors to trade in Bitcoin. The bank is yet to commence cryptocurrency trading and is looking into the legal implications. A bank as experienced as Goldman Sachs wouldn’t want to jump into a business that may face regulations in …

While Bitcoin holds top spot in terms of market capitalization, the broader asset classes of altcoins have seen the market cap of all cryptocurrencies expand by nearly 800 percent to date. That growth equates to a market cap of $158.5 bln as it stands, which is currently 795 percent higher for the year. This market cap sees cryptocurrencies larger than many national currencies, as well as other major payment networks. Broad interest Bitcoin, as the most well know of the digital currencies, has seen huge growth recently with the successful implementation of SegWit. However, while Bitcoin’s market cap accounts for …

The number of Blockchain technology and digital currency-related applications that were filed with and published by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) between January and July 2017 has almost doubled. Based on data from the agency, there were 390 applications filed during the period, up by 90 percent from the 204 applications in the same period in 2016. In the conducted analysis, the dataset includes combined keyword search results using such terms as “distributed ledger,” “Bitcoin,” “Blockchain,” and “Ethereum.” Based on the results, there is currently a boom in research and development (R&D) focusing on Blockchain technology and digital …

Former Secret Service agent Shaun Bridges plead guilty to stealing over US$800,000 worth of bitcoin while investigating Silk Road; a Goldman Sachs global investment research analyst praised blockchain technology, and more top stories for September 1. Silk Road Investigator Shaun Bridges Pleads Guilty in Bitcoin Theft Former Secret Service agent Shaun Bridges has plead guilty to stealing over US$800,000 worth of bitcoin during an investigation into online black marketplace Silk Road. The 33 year old Bridges admitted to money laundering and obstruction of justice in federal court in San Francisco . Bridges also admitted that his theft made convicted Silk …

This week saw many companies bail out on New York after the BitLicense took full effect, including bitcoin exchanges Kraken and BitFinex, and Bitcoin marketplace Paxful. Much more quietly, another exodus is underway. This one is of the more traditional, mainstream “money changers” on Wall Street, heading towards the freedom of decentralized currency within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Migration from Wall Street to the Blockchain When a person changes companies or starts a new one, it rarely makes global news, but that all changed earlier this year. When Blythe Masters left JP Morgan to begin the Bitcoin startup Digital Asset Holdings, …

Blythe Masters' Digital Asset Holdings acquires San Francisco-based Hyperledger and Budapest-based Bits of Proof; Seals with Clubs operator Bryan Micon reaches plea deal to avoid jail time and more top stories for June 26. Blythe Masters’ Blockchain Startup Makes Two Acquisitions Digital Asset Holdings, the startup run by former JP Morgan Chase executive Blythe Masters, announced the acquisition of San Francisco-based Hyperledger and Budapest-based Bits of Proof. The two blockchain startups will help Digital Asset Holdings overhaul how Wall Street settles trades. In a statement, Masters said: “Hyperledger and Bits of Proof add valuable new dimensions to our product offering …

Beyond the business opportunities, financial innovations have a larger socio-economic role to play and could help pull billions of people out of poverty, according to a new report. Both corporate and VC firms have put their bets on the burgeoning fintech industry, which seeks to reinvent the way people bank and transact, all thanks to technological innovation. The growing interest in financial technologies has led investors to pour billions into the space. And the amount is not expected to decrease any time soon, according to a recent report from Accenture. The digital era The attractiveness of fintechs can be explained …

Goldman Sachs has joined a round of funding for internet bank Circle, Purse.io has integrated with Shapeshift.io to allow altcoin holders to make third party purchases from Amazon, SilkRoad trial judge rejects retrial demand and many more top stories from April 30. Goldman Sachs invests US$50 million in Circle Leading the start-up’s series C funding round, Goldman Sachs has joined a group of investors in raising US$50million for Circle. Working alongside IDG Capital Partners, Breyer Capital, General Catalyst Partners, and Accel Partners, the involvement of a high profile name like Goldman Sachs is likely to encourage increased interest and attention …

A rather interesting question was raised on one of The Wall Street Journal blogs giving cryptography an orthography twist. So, should it be Bitcoin or bitcoin? Not judging anyone Let me get the facts straight. I am not a Grammar Nazi and, especially looking back at my earlier posts, I will probably never be one. I also have to say that thanks to the autocorrect, you will, hopefully, never know about most of mistakes I make during the text creation but, again, there is always a room for perfection. That is why I try not judge people by the way …