Big News in Blockchain
As one of the most promising and fascinating technologies to emerge over the last decade, blockchain has seen a tremendous amount of growth. Take a look at some of the most interesting stories in the blockchain space recently.
Business in Blockchain
Steve Wozniak, one of the co-founding fathers of Apple, recently revealed in an interview that he is working with a new blockchain startup Equi Capital, marking his first involvement in a blockchain-based company.
Overstock, a famous internet retailer based out of the US, is reportedly investing heavily into blockchain technology this year, and has launched their own cryptocurrency unit called tZERO.
Development and Adoption
Coinbase announced a partnership with WeGift, which will allow users to spend their crypto with their favourite retailers, like Nike, Uber, Google Play, Ticketmaster and more.
Coinbase also released their new app, Coinbase Wallet, on iOS and Android, which will allow users to not only manage their crypto assets, but also buy/store crypto collectables, send payments to anyone anywhere, and navigate a rich dApp market right on their mobile devices.
An upcoming crypto card game, Gods Unchained, has sold over $1.3 million dollars worth of virtual cards for the game – and it hasn’t even launched yet. In other gaming news, mobile app developer Elyland released Clash & Go, a real-time strategy game that merges geo-location with augmented reality, and also offers a blockchain component for in-game purchases.
Legality and Regulation
A senior BitConnect promoter, Divyesh Darji, was arrested at an airport in India recently. BitConnect, infamous for it’s blatant ponzi scheme operation (and pulling off the biggest exit scheme in cryptocurrency history), collapsed in January of 2018after receiving a cease and desist letter from the Texas Securities Board (SEC).
In California, a judge has ordered an accused hacker to post $750,000 in bail – in cryptocurrency – while he faces charges for hacking the network of a San Francisco game company. The hacker gained access to their networks to steal in-game items, which he then re-sold on the darknet.
Around the World
The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has built an ethereum blockchain explorer. The Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) has implemented the blockchain-based app on InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), a protocol that enables peer-to-peer storing and sharing of data on a distributed ledger. The goal of the project is to provide constructive insight into the potential for blockchain technology and how it could be used for more open and transparent operations for public programs.
The Bank of Thailand has announced it expects to complete the first phase of a proof-of-concept trial for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by March 2019.
MetLife is piloting a diabetes insurance payout program in Singapore that will reportedly grant pregnant women with an automatic payout in case they are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
Connect with Justin Veenema, the Community Manager at BlockCAT Technologies Inc.
