Bitcoin News Roundup – 1Nov. 2015
Posted by: DeepDotWeb
November 1, 2015
Recapping the week’s biggest Bitcoins stories from around the web.
Microsoft and Consensys join forces for implementing Ethereum on Azure. As Ian Allison of International Business Timeswrites, Microsoft has signed a deal with Ethereum New York-based collective Consensys for the development of new Ethereum blockchain as an enterprise solution. The partnership aims to facilitate business customers everywhere to set up private blockchain networks as well as public Ethereum nodes via Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform. The new service will be officially launched on November 10th at the DΞVCON1 Conference that will be held in London.
Nasdaq reveals Linqblockchain platform. As Laura Shin of Forbes reports, following the initial announced in May, Nasdaq presented Linq, its new blockchain-based platform at the Money 20/20 event that was held in Las Vegas on October 27th. The platform is set up to facilitate management, transfer and sale of shares of private companies. Linq’s first clients are Chain.com, Change Tip, PeerNova, Synack, Tango and Vera, and the list is expected to grow further. Robert Greifeld, Nasdaq CEO, stated that “the initial demand for Nasdaq Linq from these innovative, first-mover companies, and the validation it represents of our application of blockchain technology is extremely encouraging.”
The Digital Currency Group (DCG) achieves major fundraising. As Jacob Donnelly of Bitcoin Magazine writes, Barry Silbert’sdiverse portfolio of seed investment in the cryptocurrency space with BitPay, Coinbase, itBit, and Xapo has raised more than 70% of the invested venture capital. Silbert announced at Money 20/20 event that the list of companies that participated in the fund raising includes Bain Capital Ventures, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), CME Ventures, FirstMark Capital, MasterCard, New York Life, and others.
IBM seeks to integrate Weather Channel with blockchain technology. As Jp Buntinx of Bitcoinist writes, IBM has acquired the digital assets of the Weather Company, however, the Weather Channel remains independent. Being heavily invested in the blockchain technology, IBM seeks to capitalize on the access to the Weather Channel’s website as well as to Intellicast, Weather Underground, and WSI, which is the platform known for weather forecasting and contains all the network’s data. IBM plans to combine the existing technology with weather- and forecast-related data to deliver the most accurate weather information to millions of people around the world.
Regulation
Russia plans to discipline the conversion of bitcoin into the national currency. According to William Suberg of Coin Telegraph, the Russian Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev has confirmed the government’s intention to imprison people who use the blockchain technology, referred to as money surrogates, up to four years for converting digital currencies bitcoins into the ruble. Current sentences include a fine of 500,000 rubles or community service up to two years. Moiseev has admitted that there is a proposed draft law that arranges for up to four years of imprisonment for activities related to the exchange of cryptocurrencies into the national currency.
Payments
UniPAY joins forces with Snapcard. As Nikhil Gupta of NewsBtc reports, due to the partnership with Snapcard, the San Francisco-based bitcoin wallet provider, UniPAY’s 55,000 verified e-wallet users and merchants will be able to perform seamless transfers of cryptocurrencies and convert the cryptocurrency into fiat currency. KobaKurdadze, UniPAY’sCEO, stated that “the bitcoin option will help break down frictions and barriers”, currently existing in Georgia as many international visitors cannot use their cards to pay for goods and services.
Bitfinex, one of the leading bitcoin exchanges, partners with Blade Payments to launch real-time bitcoin debit card. As Carlo Thomas of Coin Report writes, Bitfinex, the bitcoin trading platform and Blade Payments, the digital payment processor, join forces to offer real-time bitcoin debit cards to Bitfinex customers. Holders of the Blade cards will be able to purchase goods from online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores as well as withdraw money from the Bitfinex account using any ATM around the world. The partnership is expected to provide a reliable solution to the liquidity problem that many bitcoin users are facing.
Updated: 2015-11-01