1 Apr
0
HolyTransaction Bitcoin Roundup March 2016
Welcome to HolyTransaction’s third monthly recap for the new year of 2016. This past month of March has been marked by continued interest in blockchain from everywhere; during that time, the bitcoin price rose from a high of $435.23 on March 1st to a low of $414.66 on March 31st, according to Bitcoin exchange Bitstamp.
It’s time to Blockchain-ize things like sneakers with Chronicled
A new blockchain startup, Chronicled, is planning to blockchain-ize the growing multi billion dollar industry that is sneakers. The company has raised $3.4 million on Crunchbase for its mission. The phenomenon of thousand dollar shoes for the male market has somewhat been predicted by similar economic pressures in shoes for females. Chronicled will use the blockchain to bring accountability and cleaner profits to this and other similarly affected industries.
Even Disney wants a piece of the blockchain action
The most recent surprise blockchain job opening is from Disney. While the corporate giant has many diversified products, this is a prime example of blockchain technology’s ability to help any company save in the middle and back office. Disney also probably has an interest in forever securing their rights via multiple blockchains.
VISA is planning its own blockchain for internal use. They are hiring an engineer/developer to help them and are also working with Chain.com. VISA believes that this area will have a critical impact on the future of the industry and wants to get ahead of the curve. Other companies from around the world that are creating blockchain labs and teams include Hitachi, Phillips, and even Walt Disney.
Ethereum’s newest version, Homestead, has officially launched. The price of ether was very volatile around the release of this software as new users rushed in. Homestead replaces Frontier, and allows users to begin using the smart contract technology. Already, companies are being built around the Ethereum blockchain.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
30 Mar
0
Dutch Central Bank to develop its DNBCoin Blockchain
According to a recent press release, the Dutch Central Bank planned to develop a new blockchain called “DNBCoin”.
On March 16th, De Nederlandsche Bank published the 2015 annual report where they explained this blockchain project.
For DNB the blockchain technology will be able to improve its business, but the report doesn’t give details on the project, not even a release date or the goals, yet.
DNB only describes the projects as a “prototype coin based on blockchain technology” that “aims for 2016”.
On the report the blockchain is described as a possible cost-saver in the financial industry, even if the DNB commented that it’s early to say what possible applications it could have in the future.
The report explains:
“Blockchain technologies can affect the revenue models of banking systems, they can also benefit with new ways to generate revenue and reduce costs.”
Payments and banking consultant Simon Lelieveldt commented:
“So when we now see central banks moving forward in the electronic cash domain (now conveniently labelled: blockchain/FinTech) it might be to no longer spin it off to the market, but to create a permanent digital replacement of cash. Therefore, this time it might be different.”
Banks and blockchain: love or hate?
Recently lots of central banks from all around the world are suggesting that the blockchain can be useful to release more centralized digital currencies, even if central banks declared that it is impossible to predict the development of cryptocurrencies without a proper legalization and regulation.
You can read more about central banks and blockchain by clicking on the titles below.
Also, here you can read the ISITC Survey Results about the the financial services progress which gives also a specific forecast on how the industry will be during the current year.
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29 Mar
0
HolyTransaction add-on for cryptocurrencies exchange rates
Recently we at HolyTransaction created a new add-on for the Firefox browser only to see the exchange rates for cryptocurrency pairs.
This add-on allows you to see the exchange rates between the most popular currencies using only a couple of clicks.
Exchange rates are available between dollar, euro, bitcoin, litecoin, peercoin, dogecoin, dash, blackcoin and gridcoin.
The add-on’s simplicity provides you an easy way to have all the information you need before selling or buying your favorite cryptocurrencies.
The price is shown on your browser, according to your specific preferences. You can change the displayed number of decimal places in the user settings.
How to dowload the add-on
To download this HolyTransaction add-on, you just have to follow this step-by step guide:
- Click on the Firefox Menu at the top right of the toolbar;
- Click on “Add-on”;
- Write “HolyTransaction” in the search at the top right of the page;
- Click on “Add-on” on the left menu;
- Click the “Download” button next to the HolyTransaction add-on.
- You will find the exchage rates window at the top right of your toolbar.
You just need to click on the HT logo of HolyTransaction.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
25 Mar
0
How the blockchain could help email security
BitMessage
Every day we send thousands of emails and such communication has become a daily routine and a MUST for any person and company.
But options to secure communications are not so common and strong. Also, the existing services are too difficult for people to use and they should use a trusted channel.
This is the reason why it has been opened the open source project called BitMessage, a service who helps to decentralize and encrypt messages and solves the problem of trusting a third party security authority.
But BitMessage doesn’t use the bitcoin blockchain, but a distributed ledger created by the BitMessage Community itself.
How it works
Thanks to BitMessage and its wallet, you will be able to create a private key and your contacts will receive a string that look like a bitcoin address.
This way you will have a long alphanumeric string among your contact lists instead of email addresses, and you need a proof-of-work to send your message, even offline.
In fact, BitMessage proposes a system where customer uses a hash of a public key that it is the same as the user’s address. “If the public key can be obtained by the underlying protocol, then it can easily be hashed to verify that it belongs to the intended recipient. The data exchanged by the user can also include a version number for forwards capability, a stream number and a checksum”, explained the whitepaper.
Here you can read the full whitepaper, in which BitMessage is described as a “peer-to-peer message authentication and delivery system” platform.
The invention
BitMessage was opened in November 2012 by Jonhatan Warren, who also created PyBitmessage, or the official instant messaging client for BitMessage.
Technical details
Its source code use Python as a language and the Qt cross-platform application framework; OpenSSL allows its cryptographic functions. BitMessage is available for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and Linux.
Unfortunately, it is not available for mobile devices.
Download the latest version here !
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
23 Mar
2
How to buy Bitcoin through PayPal
The producer of bitcoin debit card, E-Coin (previously known as Wirex) now allows people to buy bitcoin through Paypal.
Improving the Bitcoin Use
Here the full list of countries where it is possibile to use E-Coin to buy Bitcoin via PayPal.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Botswana, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Gibraltar, Honduras, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman, Philippines, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.
How E-Coin works
E-coin is very simple to use. You just have to follow some simple steps.
To buy Bitcoin via PayPal through E-Coin platform, you need a PayPal account with a positive balance and a virtual E-coin Visa debit card with $3 at least.
E-Coin Fees
E-coin will not charge any fee for this service, but PayPal requires $5 for each transaction, while the minimum withdrawal is $10.
Step-by-Step Guide to Buy Bitcoin
- Log in into your PayPal account
- Go to “Money” and then click on the “Add A Card” button
- Click on “Add another card”
- Fill the form with Name, Card Type and Billing address
- Click on “Save”
- Then, you need to provide a PayPal code. Return to your PayPal account and insert the 4-digit code. This way you will link the E-Coin card to your PayPal account.
- Go to your E-Coin account and under “card transactions,” there is a 4-digit code from PayPal
- Return to your PayPal account
- Go to “Withdraw Money.”
- Select “Withdraw Funds To Your Card”
- Enter the amount to withdraw, click on E-Coin Visa card, and then on “Continue.”
Now the withdrawal is been requested. The funds will be available into your E-Coin card within seven days.
When funds are avaialble on your E-Coin card, you can buy bitcoin, so log into your E-Coin account and select “Buy Bitcoin”.
The minimum amount is 0.01 BTC.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
22 Mar
0
Smart Contracts through Rootstock, Ethereum and Bitcoin thanks to RSK Labs
Some days ago Rootstock received $1m in seed funding for its own blockchain startup called RSK Labs who provides smart contracts through the bitcoin distributed ledger and compatible with the Ethereum platform.
The funding came from the bitcoin mining company Bitmain Technology and from the bitcoin companies Coinsilium and Digital Currency Group (DCG).
During a recent interview, Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar, CEO at RSK Labs, commented they aim at building a blockchain platform for bitcoin miners and for developers.
Zaldivar said to CoinDesk:
“Our idea is to leverage everything that has been built by the community so far. Not only on the network effect of bitcoin, because the miners will have an additional revenue stream by merge-mining Rootstock, but by providing Ethereum developers a place to build their applications.”
Probably RSK Labs will launch its platform within the end of 2016.
Smart contracts with the Blockchain
Even if the RSK Labs is very good news, the most important thing we can learn from this event is the interesting development of contracts managed through the blockchain.
Smart contracts were originally proposed 20 years ago by the famous cryptographer Nick Szabo.
A decentralized blockchain with smart contract applications can allow a global financial inclusion, new democratic political systems and the improve of the Internet of things.
In fact, smart contracts are technology protocols that verify and ease the stipulation of a contract.
This way smart contracts can provide a better security compared to a traditional contract and allow a significant reduction in transaction fees. Also, smart contracts can provide a service with less risks and without central counterparties.
To know more about smart contracts and RSK, read this article.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
16 Mar
1
Microsoft adds 5 blockchain partners to Azure and it still accepts Bitcoin
Last month we talked about the decision of Microsoft Corporation to start testing the blockchain technology and to create its own blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) product.
In fact, Microsoft opened its Azure cloud computing platform, adding a growing number of partners to its BaaS solution including ConsenSys, Emercoin and MultiChain.
And now Microsoft has announced the addition of five new blockchain partners to its Azure platform, including prediction market Augur and Ethereum network Slock.
Some other partners previously announced include Lisk, BitShares, Syscoin, BitPay, Eris Industries and Factom.
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Microsoft still accepts Bitcoin payments
According to CNBC, Microsoft continues to accept Bitcoin among its allowed methods of payment.
On Monday they accidentally announced that it would no longer accept bitcoin, but the company belies this announcement.
In fact, Microsoft Corportation still accepts Bitcoin for purchasing contents in the Windows and Xbox stores.
“We apologize for inaccurate information that was inadvertently posted to a Microsoft site, which is currently being corrected,” told a company spokesman to CNBC.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
10 Mar
0
Electricity through Bitcoin
On February 2016, MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge organized an event about clean energy distribution and how the blockchain can help this so important sector.
This event was sponsored by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, an organization who wants to diffuse clean energy, of course.
One of the most interesting project was the one presented by Usizo, a crowdfunding company who is trying to improve energy payments between users and schools in the African country.
During the event Usizo presented its demo that has allowed to turn the light on at the Emaweni Primary School in Soweto.
CEO of the blockchain startup Bankymoon, Lorien Gamaroff, explained how electricity in South Africa works: rather than paying for electricity after it is received, users have to pay for it in advance; and it could be very expensive for those who live in a peripheral area. Also, this system relies on third parties who act between final customers and power companies, so prices get higher.
“A prepaid payment system makes the energy a lot more expensive because those vendors need infrastructure, there’s traveling cost, and it’s also very expensive to make those payments. If you’re in a remote area and your lights go out, there’s no way to make a payment, no easy or electronic way to do it.”
But this situation can be fixed thanks to digital currencies:
“You can now have a smart meter, a bitcoin blockchain-enabled meter, and foreign donors can send money directly to the meter without having to send it to an organization that will take or re-distribute the funds.”
How Usizo works
Usizo works thanks to a smart meter that accept digital currencies and through a crowdfunding platform where people can donate their bitcoin.
Donor can see the electricity needed by a school and can know how much he will contribute based on the BTC he donates.
What’s next?
During a recent interview with Grid Singularity CEO Ewald Hesse, Usizo won’t be only a test.
According to him, in fact, the startup will partner with some non-governmental organizations to keep the lights on and help the education in Africa.
Grid Singularity is a startup who use blockchain technology to develop an energy data exchange platform to facilitate energy data analysis, energy trade validation, trade of green certificates, investment decisions and smart grid management.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
9 Mar
0
AirBnB wants to use the blockchain
Some months ago Don Tapscott, author of Blockchain Revolution book, explained how blockchain technology could replace services like Uber and AirBnB.
In fact, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Switzerland, Tapscott suggested:
“Why do you need a 60 billion dollar corporation called Uber? You can have a real sharing economy which it would be a distributed application on the Blockchain […] and the same is for AirBnb”.
AirBnB replies…
Well, even if might not be because of Tapscott’s suggestions, AirBnb is now interested in using the blockchain technology for its service.
During a recent interview conducted by City A.M., in fact, Airbnb co-founder Nathan Blecharczyk annonunced the possible blockchain application among the company plans for this year.
These were Blecharczyk words:
“I think that, within the context of Airbnb, your reputation is everything, and I can see it being even more so in the future, whereby you might need a certain reputation order to have access to certain types of homes. But then the question is whether there’s a way to export that and allow access elsewhere to help other sharing economy models really flourish. We’re looking for all different kinds of signals to tell us whether someone is reputable, and I could certainly see some of these more novel types of signals being plugged into our engine”.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.
8 Mar
0
Ethereum used for Car Charging in Germany
A German power company, RWE, started a partnership with the Ethereum-based startup Slock.it, to develop proofs-of-concepts (POCs) using the Eth blockchain.
Germany supports green power
On May 2011 the German Environment Minister Norbert Rottgen announced the government’s decision to close all the nuclear power plants within 2022.
During an interview conducted by the BBC, in fact, Mr Rottgen commented:
“It’s definite. The latest end for the last three nuclear power plants is 2022. There will be no clause for revision.”
So, RWE, company who provides coal and nuclear energy infrastructures in Germany, has now decided to invest money in a new sustainable energy and in an Ethereum project to reduce expenses.
To do so, RWE created a working team to test the blockchain technology to aim at trim costs by lowering expenses related to energy transmission.
Car Charging with Smart Contracts
In a recent interview conducted by CoinDesk, RWE Carsten Stöcker commented on a possible application of the blockchain: electric car charging stations that use smart contracts to authenticate users and manage the billing process.
“We would like to solve the problems and really push electric vehicle deployment forward by looking into establishing a seamless and affordable electrical charging infrastructure.”
This project debuted at the Lift 2016 conference in Geneva, Switzerland and it will play out within 2017.
According the RWE project, customers will use charging stations by accepting a smart contract programmed on the Ethereum blockchain.
Through this system users will save money thanks to a payment that is connected to the consuption of electricity during the charging, instead of paying according to the time connected to the station.
“What’s really exciting here is that people are going to be able to use smart contracts to contract with a machine directly, rather than contracting with a human being or a corporation,” he said to CoinDesk.
Open your free digital wallet here to store your cryptocurrencies in a safe place.