At present, the combined capitalization of the 2,022 crypto assets with a known market cap was roughly $222 billion. On Nov. 19, 2017, just weeks before the current all-time highs would be set for the price and capitalization of Bitcoin and the crypto market overall, the 985 tokens with a known market cap represented a capitalization of around $244 billion — a similar zone to where the market is at currently. However, with the capitalization of Bitcoin (BTC) having grown 15% from $134.1 billion to $154.6 billion during the 24 months following November 2017, more than twice as many altcoins …

A payment platform is offering a new prepaid card that can be used at ATMs, stores and websites worldwide — and topped up via bank transfers or cryptocurrency. Embily is the brainchild of Singaporean company Blockchain International Group. Co-branded with Mastercard and UnionPay, card owners can top up using a plethora of digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin. Crypto is automatically converted into cash, giving the user freedom to make withdrawals at cash machines and make purchases at any point of sale terminal. The company adds it is focused on supplying business-to-business solutions to customers worldwide. The team says …

Since the Great Recession, the health of the global financial system has only deteriorated. Corrupt leadership, worsening standards of living and several other problems have sparked unrest in a number of countries. The latest country to see unrest is Iran. Recently protestors set several buildings on fire and one among them was a branch of Iran's central bank in Behbahan, a city located in the southwestern region of the country. Such events underline the importance of cryptocurrencies because crypto is the only asset class which cannot be controlled or manipulated by leaders and regulators. Though many suggest that gold can …

$450 million worth of lost cryptocurrency from the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange WEX may have been transferred to a fund belonging to Russian intelligence agency the Federal Security Bureau (FSB), according to an investigation by the BBC’s Russian Service published on Nov. 15. The BBC’s recent investigation into the BTC-e crypto exchange case, in which co-founder Alexander Vinnik stands accused of fraud and laundering as much as $4 billion in Bitcoin (BTC) over the course of six years, has revealed new details which allegedly connect lost customer funds to the FSB. Demands to hand over crypto assets to the FSB The …

Fundstrat’s Tom Lee believes that cryptocurrencies “are network value assets” and as the number of people who hold the asset increases, the value of the cryptocurrencies would also move up. According to him, about half a million people use and own Bitcoin currently and if the number doubles, he expects Bitcoin (BTC) to easily reach his target of $25,000. Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao believes that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s support of blockchain technology will result in the mass adoption of crypto. As more people learn about blockchain technology, they would understand cryptocurrencies better, boosting adoption. Zhao also expects …

Although Bitcoin (BTC) is not showing any trending move, Bakkt and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group continue to roll out products designed to attract the large traders. Bakkt recently announced that it will add a cash-settled futures contract to its existing Bitcoin-settled contract. On the other hand, the CME group plans to offer options on Bitcoin futures after receiving the necessary regulatory approvals. Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange is also planning to launch a slew of products, which include, options trading and a gold-backed stablecoin, to attract customers. These actions by cryptocurrency exchanges instill confidence that trading volume is likely to …

Privacy-centric coin Grin received an anonymous 50 Bitcoin (BTC) donation to its General Fund on Nov. 11, sparking a bizarre rumor that the generous soul behind it was Satoshi. The donation, announced the same day by Grin on Twitter, was made via crypto exchange Coinbase by a donor who expressly wished to remain anonymous, according to a Nov. 11 forum post by Grin dev Daniel Lehnberg. “Work freely” without dependency Lehnberg has revealed that he briefly interacted with the donor. While upholding his/her/their desired anonymity, he nonetheless shared some of the donor(s)’ edited remarks, including reported statements such as: “Our …

The crypto markets are going through a phase of uncertainty with several cryptocurrencies failing to show a firm trend. This is because the markets lack a catalyst that can either pull prices higher or plunge them lower. However, a developing catalyst could be the launch of the China-backed central bank digital currency (CBDC). Jack Lee, a founding partner at HCM Capital, believes that China’s central bank is ready and the digital currency could be launched within the next two to three months. If this experiment is successful, it would likely force the other developed nations to follow suit. Daily cryptocurrency …

Bitcoin (BTC) futures volumes have been consistently rising in the past few days. This shows that the interest of the institutional players has been gradually picking up. A close study of the futures volume and price action can provide the experienced trader an insight into the likely direction of the markets. Increasing volumes with a sharp dip in price is a bearish sign as it indicates the initiation of short positions. Crypto market data weekly view. Source: Coin360 However, at times, a market that has been heavily shorted also provides an opportunity to enter a counter-trend trade because if the …

Though crypto markets are in a consolidation phase, the number of first-timers investing in this nascent space has almost doubled, according to data from Square Cash App. This is a positive sign as it shows that investors are using the dips to buy cryptocurrency. In another positive for the crypto space, research by the recruitment firm Indeed.com has found that cryptocurrency job requirements have risen in the past year even as searches for blockchain and cryptocurrency roles have reduced. This indicates that the sentiment among the crypto companies remains bullish. Daily cryptocurrency market performance. Source: Coin360 While the long-term outlook …

Bitcoin price (BTC) failed to ignite much interest as October closed. There are approximately 194 days left until the next Bitcoin halving, which probably feels like an eternity away for those involved with the crypto space. This week there was also a surplus of negative news events like the Bitmex email leak and the Coinbase flash crash that caused mass liquidations on Deribit. So can we really expect Bitcoin price to do anything spectacular in the short term? Daily crypto market performance. Source: Coin360.com BTC USD daily chart. Source: TradingView Bitcoin price has been locked in a tight range around …

A Bloomberg report, analyzing data from 13 top exchanges, shows that within a very short span of time, Bitcoin (BTC) futures trading volume has grown to about 50% of spot trading volume. This is the sign of a maturing asset class. Successful operation of the futures market may provide regulators with the confidence they need as many are concerned that a few entities can easily manipulate the markets at will. The institutional players who have been staying away due to wild volatility in the crypto sector are also likely to jump in because the futures and options market provides them …