₦airaland Forum

Pm

babatundeizbad:
I am far away. How do I get in contact with you sir?

This event holds today

amjustme2:
Port Harcourt Business Seminar

How did you fare in 2017?
What will your 2018 look like?
The time to plan is Now!

but wait ....Will you continue doing the same thing over and over again?

Come and Learn how *Blockchain Technology*, *Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies* can transform your life and finance in 2018.

*The greatest financial revolution and wealth transfer has already begun!*

*Date:* Saturday 23rd December, 2017

*Venue:* Fonte House, Behind MRS Filling Station, Artillery by Okporo Road, Port Harcourt

*Time*: 4pm prompt.

*Seats are Limited*
Reserve yours at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transform-your-life-this-2018-tickets-41391050747

Alternatives to high transaction fees

Talking about Cryptocurrency volatility?

This is it.

What do you do?

Buy when there is blood on the street
Buy the Dip

The intermediary entrusted with our funds are not doing enough to protect it.
We need a new system,
And its here already.
The Blockchain ,
Many call it the Trust Protocol.
The revolution has started.
7-10 years from now, people will laugh when you mention fiat currency.

Port Harcourt Business Seminar

How did you fare in 2017?
What will your 2018 look like?
The time to plan is Now!

but wait ....Will you continue doing the same thing over and over again?

Come and Learn how *Blockchain Technology*, *Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies* can transform your life and finance in 2018.

*The greatest financial revolution and wealth transfer has already begun!*

*Date:* Saturday 23rd December, 2017

*Venue:* Fonte House, Behind MRS Filling Station, Artillery by Okporo Road, Port Harcourt

*Time*: 4pm prompt.

*Seats are Limited*
Reserve yours at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transform-your-life-this-2018-tickets-41391050747

Port Harcourt Business Seminar

How did you fare in 2017?
What will your 2018 look like?
The time to plan is Now!

but wait ....Will you continue doing the same thing over and over again?

Come and Learn how *Blockchain Technology*, *Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies* can transform your life and finance in 2018.

*The greatest financial revolution and wealth transfer has already begun!*

*Date:* Saturday 23rd December, 2017

*Venue:* Fonte House, Behind MRS Filling Station, Artillery by Okporo Road, Port Harcourt

*Time*: 4pm prompt.

*Seats are Limited*
Reserve yours at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transform-your-life-this-2018-tickets-41391050747

No, Bitcoin Won't Boil the Oceans.

While much of the world marvels at bitcoin’s meteoric rise, another part is focused on an environmental byproduct: The sheer amount of electricity that crypto-currencies use. By some estimates, bitcoin’s consumption alone exceeds -- or will exceed -- that of Ireland, Denmark, Japan or even the entire world.

Instead of worrying about how soon bitcoin will melt the polar ice caps, though, it’s worth considering how much energy might be saved.

Digital currency is wasteful by design. Bitcoin “miners,” who process transactions in return for new currency, must race to solve extremely difficult cryptographic puzzles. This computational burden helps keep the transaction record secure -- by raising the bar for anyone who would want to tamper with it –- but also requires miners to build giant farms of servers that consume vast amounts of energy. The more valuable bitcoin becomes, the more miners are willing to spend on equipment and electricity.

Still, it’s important to put things in perspective. A recent report suggests that at current prices, Bitcoin miners will consume an estimated 8.27 terawatt-hours per year. That might sound like a lot, but it’s actually less than an eighth of what U.S. data centers use, 1 and only about 0.21 percent of total U.S. consumption. It also compares favorably to the currencies and commodities that bitcoin could help replace: Global production of cash and coins consumes an estimated 11 terawatt-hours per year, while gold mining burns the equivalent of 132 terawatt-hours. And that doesn’t include armored trucks, bank vaults, security systems and such. So in the right context, bitcoin is positively green.

What’s more, bitcoin’s consumption won’t necessarily keep rising as it has. Data centers, for example, have gotten a lot better. Not long ago, the Department of Energy was predicting that their electricity use would double every five years, and Google was getting slammed for consuming enough to power 200,0000 homes. In recent years, though, the centers’ total electricity use has flattened even as their number has kept growing. As it turned out, better cooling and power management technology improved efficiency. Bitcoin miners are no less motivated by profit, so it stands to reason that they will seek to become more efficient and employ the cheapest energy available, which generally means hydroelectric plants and other renewable sources.

It’s easy to criticize bitcoin for being wasteful. But so are many things in life, including airplanes, commuting to work and Sunday Night Football. A return to subsistence farming could drastically reduce our carbon footprint, but sometimes using energy to improve our quality of life is worthwhile.

The bitcoin network has the potential to generate a lot of benefits. How much is sound money worth? How about the ability to send money freely across borders, with no permission or central counterparty involved? Or to own an asset that can’t be seized? People in the U.S. and other developed countries might take these things for granted, but people in places like Zimbabwe and Venezuela are turning to bitcoin for survival. So perhaps all those computations aren’t wasteful: Maybe the miners are simply transforming the energy into something more valuable.

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-12-07/bitcoin-is-greener-than-its-critics-think

I belong to a group where there one of the best analyst and traders.

Youy can stay there to learn. Send me and email and I will connect you.

But you can do yourself a lot of good by reading. Serious reading like you are preparing for final year project defence.

SpongeBobSP:
been reading about it for a while now,just haven't been able to make that move to buy some , maybe it's cos I don't have much , I'm still serving , but I want to start with a small token and see how it goes , enough procrastination.
but how do I trade once I have funded my wallet? and what a re the better coins to invest in?

Sendpm

[quote author=wwwtortoise post=63360635]Hello amjustme2,
I have heard a whole lot about bitcoin and I am willing to invest in crypto-currency but I lack the basic knowledge to get started.

I will appreciate if you assist me.

Regards.[/quote]

What the World's Central Banks Are Saying About Bitcoin

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-15/what-the-world-s-central-banks-are-saying-about-cryptocurrencies?cmpId=flipboard

Almost nine years since the birth of bitcoin, central banks around the world are increasingly recognizing the potential upsides and downsides of digital currencies.

The guardians of the global economy have two sets of issues to address. First is what to do, if anything, about the emergence and growth of the private cryptocurrencies that are grabbing more and more attention -- with bitcoin having popped through $17,000 and the start of futures trading heralding a new level of mainstream acceptance. The second question is whether to issue official versions.


Following is an overview of how the world’s largest central banks (and some smaller ones) are approaching the subject:

U.S.: Privacy Worry

The Federal Reserve’s investigation into cryptocurrencies is in its early days, and it hasn’t been overtly enthusiastic about the idea of a central-bank issued answer to bitcoin. Jerome Powell, a board member and the chairman nominee, said earlier this year that technical issues remain with the technology and "governance and risk management will be critical." Powell said there are "meaningful" challenges to a central bank cryptocurrency, that privacy issues could be a problem, and private-sector alternatives may do the job.

Randal Quarles, vice chair for supervision at the Fed, said Dec. 1 while the central bank has no policy toward regulation of bitcoin it is “worth thinking about.” The volume of cryptocurrencies could at some point "matter" when it comes to monetary policy, Powell said in answering a question at his Senate confirmation hearing in November. "They’re just not big enough" today, however, he said.

Euro Area: Tulip-Like

The European Central Bank has repeatedly warned about the dangers of investing in digital currencies. Vice President Vitor Constancio said in September that bitcoin isn’t a currency, but a “tulip” -- alluding to the 17th-century bubble in the Netherlands. Colleague Benoit Coeure has warned bitcoin’s unstable value and links to tax evasion and crime create major risks. President Mario Draghi said in November the impact of digital currencies on the euro-area economy was limited and they posed no threat to central banks’ monopoly on money.

China: Conditions ‘Ripe’

China has made it clear: the central bank has full control over cryptocurrencies. With a research team set up in 2014 to develop digital fiat money, the People’s Bank of China believes "conditions are ripe" for it to embrace the technology. But it has cracked down on private digital issuers, banning exchange trading of bitcoin and others. While there’s no formal start date for introducing digital currencies, authorities say going digital could help improve payment efficiency and allow more accurate control of currencies.

Japan: Study Mode

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said in an October speech that the BOJ has no imminent plan to issue digital currencies, though it’s important to deepen knowledge about them. “Issuing CBDC (central bank digital currency) to the general public is as if a central bank extends the access to its accounts to anyone,” Kuroda said. “As such, discussion about CBDC revisits fundamental issues of central banking.”

Germany: ‘Speculative Plaything’

In a country where lot of citizens still prefer to pay in cash, the Bundesbank has been particularly wary of the emergence of bitcoin and other virtual currencies. Board member Carl-Ludwig Thiele said in September bitcoin was “more of a speculative plaything than a form of payment.” A shift of deposits into blockchain would disrupt banks’ business models and could upend monetary policy, Thiele said. At the same time, the Bundesbank has been actively studying the application of the technology in payment systems.

U.K.: Potential ‘Revolution’

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has cited cryptocurrencies as part of a potential “revolution” in finance. The central bank started a financial technology accelerator in 2016, a Silicon Valley practice to incubate young companies. Carney says technology based on blockchain, the distributed accounting database, shows “great promise” in enabling central banks to strengthen their defenses against cyber attack and overhaul the way payments are made between institutions and consumers. He has nevertheless cautioned the BOE is still a long way from from creating a digital version of sterling.

France: ‘Great Caution’

Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau said in June that French officials "advise great caution with respect to bitcoin because there is no public institution behind it to provide confidence. In history all examples of private currencies ended badly." Bitcoin even has a "dark side," he said, citing data attacks and warning that people who use the cryptocurrency "do so at their own risk."

India: Not Allowed

India’s central bank is opposed to cryptocurrencies given that they can be a channel for money laundering and terrorist financing. Nevertheless, the Reserve Bank of India has a group studying whether digital currencies backed by global central banks can be used as legal tender. Currently, the use of cryptocurrencies is a violation of foreign-exchange rules.

Brazil: Support Innovation

The Banco Central do Brasil sees “no immediate risk for the Brazilian financial system" but remains alert to the developments of the usage of those currencies, it said in a statement in November. The bank pledged “to support financial innovation, including new technologies that make the financial system safer and more efficient.”

Canada: Asset-Like

The Bank of Canada’s senior deputy governor, Carolyn Wilkins, who is leading research on cryptocurrencies, said in a November interview that cryptocurrencies aren’t true forms of money. “This is really an asset, or a security, and so it should be treated that way,” Wilkins said. As others, she viewed distributed-ledger technology as promising for making the financial system more efficient. BOC staff are also exploring the circumstances under which it might be appropriate for it to issue its own digital currency for retail transactions.

South Korea: Crime Watch

The Bank of Korea’s focus has been protecting consumers and preventing cryptocurrencies from being used as a tool of crime. Deputy Governor Shin Ho-soon said in November more research and monitoring was needed. So many Koreans have embraced bitcoin that the prime minister has warned cryptocurrencies might corrupt the nation’s youth. Policy makers are setting up a task force to review a possible cryptocurrency capital-gains tax, while seeking to avoid hurting blockchain technology.

Russia: ‘Pyramid Schemes’

Russia’s central bank has expressed concerns about potential risks from digital currencies, with Governor Elvira Nabiullina saying “we don’t legalize pyramid schemes” and “we are totally opposed to private money, no matter if it is in physical or virtual form.” For the moment, the Bank of Russia prefers to delay a decision on regulating the financial instruments unless President Vladimir Putin pushes for action sooner. The central bank will work with prosecutors to block websites that allow retail investors access to bitcoin exchanges, according to Sergey Shvetsov, a deputy governor.

Australia: Speculative Mania

Australia’s central bank chief criticized cryptocurrencies in a speech in Sydney Dec. 13, arguing the asset is more likely to appeal to criminals than consumers. “The current fascination with these currencies feels more like a speculative mania than it has to do with their use as an efficient and convenient form of electronic payment,” said Philip Lowe, Reserve Bank of Australia Governor. The bank is not planning to issue its own digital currency as a case hasn’t been made to do so, Lowe said. The RBA is in close contact with its peers in other countries and few see electronic banknotes coming, he said.

Turkey: Important Element

Digital currencies may contribute to financial stability if designed well, Turkish Central Bank Governor Murat Cetinkaya said in Istanbul in November. Digital currencies pose new risks to central banks, including their control of money supply and price stability, and the transmission of monetary policy, Cetinkaya said. Even so, the Turkish central banker said that digital currencies may be an important element for a cashless economy, and the technologies used can help speed up and make payment systems more efficient.

Netherlands: Most Daring

The Dutch have been among the most daring when it comes to experimenting with digital currencies. Two years ago the central bank created its own cryptocurrency called DNBcoin -- for internal circulation only -- to better understand how it works. Presenting the results in 2016, Ron Berndsen, who was in charge of the project, said blockchain may be “naturally applicable” in the settlement of complex financial transactions.

Scandinavia: Exploring Options

Like the Dutch, some Nordic authorities have been at the forefront of exploring the idea of digital cash. Sweden’s Riksbank, the world’s oldest central bank, is probing options including a digital register-based e-krona, with balances in central-database accounts or with values stored in an app or on a card. The bank says the introduction of an e-krona poses "no major obstacles" to monetary policy.

In an environment of decreasing use of cash, Norway’s Norges Bank is looking at possibilities such as individual accounts at the central bank or plastic cards or an app to use for payments, it said in a May report. Denmark has backtracked somewhat from initial enthusiasm, with Deputy Governor Per Callesen cautioning against central banks offering digital currencies directly to consumers. One argument is that such direct access to central bank liquidity could contribute to runs on commercial banks in times of crisis.

New Zealand: Too Unstable

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Acting Governor Grant Spencer warned bitcoin’s runaway gains look like a speculative bubble. “Digital currencies, cryptocurrencies, are a real and serious proposition for the future,” Spencer said in a Dec. 10 interview with TVNZ. “I think they are part of the future, but not the sort that we see in bitcoin.” The central bank, once a pioneer on the global stage with its early introduction of an inflation target, had said in what it termed an analytical note in November it’s considering its future plans for currency issuance, and how digital units may fit into those strategies.

Morocco: Violating Law

Representing one of the more stringent reactions, the country has deemed that all transactions involving virtual currencies as violating exchange regulations and punishable by law. Cryptocurrencies amount to a hidden payment system, not backed by any institution and involving significant risks for their users, authorities said in a November statement.

Bank for International Settlements: Can’t Ignore


The central bank for central banks has said that policy makers can’t ignore the growth of cryptocurrencies and will likely have to consider whether it makes sense for them to issue their own digital currencies at some point. “Bitcoin has gone from being an obscure curiosity to a household name,” the BIS said in September. One option is a currency available to the public, with only the central bank able to issue units that would be directly convertible to cash and reserves. There might be a greater risk of bank runs, however, and commercial lenders might face a shortage of deposits. Privacy could also be a concern.

Agustin Carstens, the incoming head of the BIS, told Bloomberg that bitcoin deserves close scrutiny. "Anything that grows in price as fast as bitcoin has done it, without having a real clear understanding of what is behind it, should at least raise some eyebrows," he said.

What the World's Central Banks Are Saying About Bitcoin

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-15/what-the-world-s-central-banks-are-saying-about-cryptocurrencies?cmpId=flipboard

Almost nine years since the birth of bitcoin, central banks around the world are increasingly recognizing the potential upsides and downsides of digital currencies.

The guardians of the global economy have two sets of issues to address. First is what to do, if anything, about the emergence and growth of the private cryptocurrencies that are grabbing more and more attention -- with bitcoin having popped through $17,000 and the start of futures trading heralding a new level of mainstream acceptance. The second question is whether to issue official versions.


Following is an overview of how the world’s largest central banks (and some smaller ones) are approaching the subject:

U.S.: Privacy Worry

The Federal Reserve’s investigation into cryptocurrencies is in its early days, and it hasn’t been overtly enthusiastic about the idea of a central-bank issued answer to bitcoin. Jerome Powell, a board member and the chairman nominee, said earlier this year that technical issues remain with the technology and "governance and risk management will be critical." Powell said there are "meaningful" challenges to a central bank cryptocurrency, that privacy issues could be a problem, and private-sector alternatives may do the job.

Randal Quarles, vice chair for supervision at the Fed, said Dec. 1 while the central bank has no policy toward regulation of bitcoin it is “worth thinking about.” The volume of cryptocurrencies could at some point "matter" when it comes to monetary policy, Powell said in answering a question at his Senate confirmation hearing in November. "They’re just not big enough" today, however, he said.

Oya sharp sharp, t

divide into 2. Buy Bitcoin and Litecoin.

Lets start counting another 3 months from now.

CastedDude:
A Nigerian lady identified as Zinny Sandra Chikezie, has highlighted the importance of saving after she saved over N64,000 after breaking her saving box. According to her, this is what she saved for almost four months despite experience moments of being broke.

Below is what she shared on Facebook;

Waoh am so happy right now... My determination has given me so much happiness today. I was tempted to break my saving box today and this what i got, over 64k. Umu nne m to save is very important. There are days i get so broke that even to eat i find it difficult but i still didn't open the box, til today. This is the result of my 3 months and 3 weeks savings umu nne m.

Source; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2017/12/excited-nigerian-lady-shows-off-much-saved-withing-4-months-photos.html

On December 12, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly commented on the future of banking, seen through a youtube video.

He believes that blockchain technology will replace traditional banks as a result of bitcoin’s growth this year.

The video is one of the first instances where a world leader has openly addressed and commented on cryptocurrencies and the bitcoin. With governments and Central Banks around the world concerned over the unstable growth of digital currencies, Netanyahu, a prominent world leader, expresses his honest opinions on the future of banking.

The Prime Minister states in Hebrew:

Is the fate of banks that they will eventually disappear? Yes. The answer is Yes. Does it need to happen tomorrow? And do we need to do it through Bitcoin? That’s a question mark.

Israel, like many other countries, is currently under a digital currency craze. There have been local media reports of daily price changes and overnight millionaires. There are reports of people queuing outside Bitcoin ATMs in Tel Aviv.

Despite this frenzy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an MIT graduate and previously, an economic consultant for the Boston Consulting Group, understands the value in the blockchain, the underlying technology of cryptocurrency.

Netanyahu’s view on banks and blockchain technology
When Netanyahu spoke about the role of banks, he saw that their purpose, to ensure valid and safe transactions between two parties, could be disrupted by the blockchain.

In the 70 second video, he states that a bank is more of a middleman and sees blockchain as a decentralized alternative to the current centralized banking system. ‘The truth behind what I just said is what’s propelling Bitcoin upwards.’ The blockchain can perform all the functions of a bank without the need for an inefficient central institution who takes a transaction cut every time.

The Crypto Industry’s Response
The Cryptocurrency Industry responds positively to Netanyahu’s comments. The Street demonstrates that Rami Shechter, CEO and founder of Vanywhere, a blockchain peer to peer sharing platform ‘agrees with Netanyahu’s vision regarding the disappearance of banks in the future, possibly due to cryptocurrency. We believe that the biggest news about cryptocurrency in relation to banks is the reduction of fees. People have had enough with middlemen and third parties taking cuts of every transaction.’

Adam Perlow, founder, and CEO of Zen Protocol also agrees with Netanyahu. He states that ‘as the Israeli prime minister said, banks act as escrow agents which reduce counterparty risk. Bitcoin technology provides an alternative solution to counterparty risk. Bitcoin technology provides an alternative solution to counterparty risk by providing a new, more efficient sort of escrow mechanism – smart contracts. As in any industry, in the long term, it is hard to imagine any plausible outcome where the more effective solution does not render the previous solution obsolete.”

Netanyahu remains skeptical of Bitcoin’s future

Although Netanyahu sees the importance of bitcoin and blockchain technology, he is doubtful of Bitcoin’s longevity into the future as:

[T]here’s nothing like this, that will continue rising at this rate. It can’t happen.’

https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/israels-prime-minister-believes-bitcoin-will-destroy-banks/

Keanu Reeves: Bitcoin Will Destroy the Global Elite, Give Power Back to People.
Matrix star speaks out on the crypto currency revolution

As cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Lite Coin smash all records again this week, movie star Keanu Reeves has spoken out to reveal that they will "destroy the global elite" and "give power back to the people."

The Matrix star and Bitcoin enthusiast says he believes that "Bitcoin is the future" and will "free citizens of the world from global and economic slavery."

The famously down-to-Earth Canadian actor was shooting a promo film for his Arch Motorcycle company in Saddleback Butte State Park when he was asked on his thoughts for the future of the crypto craze, to which he said:
"This isn't just a fad, it's the future."

The people are tired of being controlled by the banks, seeing fat-cat bankers get rich and the expense of hard-working citizens."

Bitcoin is giving the power back to the people and it will destroy the oligarchs and the global elite in the process."


Read more at: http://www.neonnettle.com/news/3368-keanu-reeves-bitcoin-will-destroy-the-global-elite-give-power-back-to-people © Neon Nettle

Keanu Reeves: Bitcoin Will Destroy the Global Elite, Give Power Back to People.
Matrix star speaks out on the crypto currency revolution

As cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Lite Coin smash all records again this week, movie star Keanu Reeves has spoken out to reveal that they will "destroy the global elite" and "give power back to the people."

The Matrix star and Bitcoin enthusiast says he believes that "Bitcoin is the future" and will "free citizens of the world from global and economic slavery."

The famously down-to-Earth Canadian actor was shooting a promo film for his Arch Motorcycle company in Saddleback Butte State Park when he was asked on his thoughts for the future of the crypto craze, to which he said:
"This isn't just a fad, it's the future."

The people are tired of being controlled by the banks, seeing fat-cat bankers get rich and the expense of hard-working citizens."

Bitcoin is giving the power back to the people and it will destroy the oligarchs and the global elite in the process."


Read more at: http://www.neonnettle.com/news/3368-keanu-reeves-bitcoin-will-destroy-the-global-elite-give-power-back-to-people © Neon Nettle

You must start reading.
Knowledge is power. Read about bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, blockchain.

start buying and investing in bitcoin, experience is the best teacher

bignero:
so newbies like me who want to jump on the bandwagon..how and where do istart please?

remeber am a novice here

Spending the world’s most popular cryptocurrency is still a big challenge. Although there are a few merchants out there which accept BTC directly, none are particularly big, other than Overstock. It now seems eBay may welcome Bitcoin to its platform in the very near future, if recent reports are to be believed.

EBAY MAY EMBRACE BITCOIN AFTER ALL

Most people who have ever dealt with eBay know the company isn’t too keen on alternative payment methods. More specifically, it would prefer that people stick with PayPal – despite these companies being separate entities these days – or use wire transfers. Even when Skrill (formerly known as Moneybookers) was added as an option, the platform still preferred users to accept PayPal as well. Avoiding potential scammers and fake listings has always been a major concern for the company.

Moreover, eBay doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to cryptocurrency listings either. That is only normal, as no one should sell cryptocurrency on auction sites in the first place. There is no recourse if a deal goes awry, and it would reflect badly on the company if a buyer or seller were to file such a complaint. Rest assured such events have transpired on the platform over the past few years. It has always seemed as if eBay would rather stay as far away from Bitcoin as possible.

That situation may come to change soon, according to an article on Yahoo Finance. It is possible to buy crypto mining equipment on the platform, or any merchandise related to cryptocurrency. However, one must pay for such items in the usual way, which often involves PayPal. It seems the company is considering adding a Bitcoin payment option in the near future. There is no timeline for when this might occur, and the company is still “only seriously considering” this option for the future.

Thats good,
but you should take out your money

stechi:
I guess you are wrong with the duration you stated because its already 6-months old still running effectively and not even a matrix system.

Institutional Sights Set on Bitcoin, Crypto Going Into 2018

If the November and December crypto bull market and flurry of institutional attention have taught us anything, it’s that Bitcoin and its cohorts are red hot going into 2018. Mainstream exposure has ignited public interest in cryptocurrency, and financial institutions can’t wait to get their hands into the market. Meanwhile, governments are scurrying to accommodate crypto and its markets in their regulatory frameworks, as all signs point to 2018 as being blockchain’s year of adoption and regulation.

ALL EYES ON CRYPTO

Bitcoin continued its healthy uptrend today in the wake of the CBOE futures listing, as the market continues to show its optimism entering 2017’s home stretch. Investor confidence is so strong that CBOE’s Bitcoin Futures ($XBT) traded over 800 contracts within two hours of its launch; that’s a healthy US$12,000,000. Futures-buying traffic was so high, in fact, that CBOE’s website crashed as a result.

The massive interest in CBOE Bitcoin Futures is intriguing in its own right, but it’s part of a larger pattern. In recent months, mainstream investors, businesses, and governments have taken an increasing interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. We’re starting to see cryptoassets receive traditional investing treatment and corporate adoption of the blockchain, and this leaves governments with the task of formally accommodating a previously unregulated market.

BLOCKCHAIN MEETS TRADITIONAL MARKET, BIG BUSINESS

Every day, news articles tell the same story with a different tone: institutional interest in Bitcoin is on the rise, and it’s quite literally bringing the market with it. Conventional financial organizations have begun to tap into Bitcoin’s investing potential, making it more accessible to the general public.


We’ve seen this most recently with CBOE Bitcoin Futures, but CBOE was just the first to the punch. The CME Group is slated to launch futures trading starting December 18, and NASDAQ has plans to provide futures for its NFX market sometime in 2018. Such formal market integration is not confined to the US either. In Japan, for instance, the Tokyo Financial Exchange plans to launch its own Bitcoin futures “as quickly as possible,” according to CEO Shozo Ohto.

For Japan, Bitcoin futures seem to fall in line with business and enterprise acceptance of blockchain in general. For example, GMO Internet Group, Japan’s largest internet provider, recently announced that it will begin providing employees with the option to be paid their salary in Bitcoin. This news comes at a time when 37 Korean and Japanese financial institutions, including SMBC and Resona Bank, will experiment with remittance payments using Ripple and its token, XRP.

GOVERNMENTS RESPOND WITH REGULATION

As cryptocurrencies begin mingling with traditional markets, many governments have taken steps to regulate these previously unregulated financial assets. While some may view these regulations as a hindrance, some believe that they contribute to crypto’s overall growth.

And once again, Japan is contributing to this growth. Since September, the Japanese Financial Services Agency has registered and approved 15 cryptocurrency exchanges for public trading, while making it clear that only these 15 exchanges will be legally permitted to trade cryptoassets.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the launch of Bitcoin futures has prompted two companies to apply to launch Bitcoin exchange-traded funds: the REX Bitcoin Strategy and Short Bitcoin Strategy ETF and the VanEck Vector Bitcoin Strategy ETF. Both ETFs hope to launch sometime in the new year.

These are just a few examples of how governments are responding to crypto’s rise to public prominence. The UK has plans to up its own regulatory ante, the Philippines has rolled out a game plan for handling ICOs, and Russia may be turning to cryptocurrencies to circumvent sanctions on oil trading.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that 2018 will be a defining year for blockchain technology. As we enter the new year, cryptocurrencies will likely continue to make waves with a sea of public and institutional attention, and we’ll be eager to see how adoption takes shape and how governments react to crypto’s arrival in the mainstream.

https://themerkle.com/institutional-sights-set-on-bitcoin-crypto-going-into-2018/

Better late than never.

2017 has been the kinky year, even with recession.

2018 looks far more better.

torres2:
Imagine buying bitcoin of 300plus and just keeping for a month and value now up to 800 plus now. This was a fee kept for my M.Sc.

Bitcoin has been my financial regret of 2017 selling my btc on 11/03/2017 for 257k and value now 2.6million.

A hard lesson that have thicken my risk towards investment I must say

When I went last to terminate my last investments the man in charge had to even if I was getting married as he was curious to why I kept terminating my investment. Well how do I explaib crypto in a banking hall. I just told him it is for an emergency.

Lol

That's what am talking about.

Some people got in at $1,500.

Peoples fortune has been transformed in 12 months.

But all should be aware of the risk involved. The bears and sharks are real.

torres2:
as if I knew this would come to this. I terminated my tb last month to buy bitcoin when it was 6k plus. No regret anyway. 150% ROI. When the rates are back I will move my profit back to TB and continue on both front.


Money must be made while sleeping.

Coinomi and Jaxx not bad altcoin

Amydgirl:
Both blockchain wallet and coinbase wallet do not store coins other than bitcoin, ethereum (also litecoin for coinbase). Any suggestions for hot wallet for other altcoins?