Monat: Januar 2022

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MicroStrategy hält trotz Markteinbruch an Bitcoin-Vorräten fest

Der Kryptowährungsmarkt hat am zweiten Tag in Folge weiter geblutet. Bitcoin ist kontinuierlich gesunken und hat ein Sechsmonatstief erreicht. Er wird derzeit bei rund 35.500 USD gehandelt, ein Rückgang von 6,28 % über den Tag. Ether und andere Altcoins haben ebenfalls geblutet und einen Teil der Gewinne aus den jüngsten Rallyes zunichte gemacht. Der Absturz wurde dem weltweiten Aktienverkauf und einem drohenden Krypto-Verbot in Russland zugeschrieben.

Hier sind weitere Top-Kryptowährungs-Schlagzeilen, die Sie diese Woche vielleicht verpasst haben:

Singapurs oberste Finanzaufsichtsbehörde verfolgt die Betreiber von Kryptowährungs-Geldautomaten

Betreiber von Kryptowährungs-Geldautomaten in Singapur wurden am Montag angewiesen, ihren Betrieb in Übereinstimmung mit kürzlich veröffentlichten Richtlinien einzustellen.

Die ausgestellte „Anfrage“ verbietet Kryptogeschäften das Ausleihen von Diensten an physischen Krypto-Geldautomaten. Singapur hat fünf Kryptomaschinen, die über seine Einkaufszentren verteilt sind, von denen zwei am Dienstag nach der Anordnung gemäß einem Bloomberg-Bericht als inaktiv bestätigt wurden.

Dies stellt die jüngsten Bemühungen der Monetary Authority of Singapore dar, den Kryptowährungssektor zu regulieren. Die MAS argumentierte, dass die Bereitstellung von Kontakten zu digitalen Vermögenswerten für Einheimische über Geldautomaten impulsiven Kryptohandel fördert und Handelsentscheidungen ohne Berücksichtigung der damit verbundenen Risiken veranlasst.

Twitter macht großen Sprung und bringt überprüfbare NFT-Profilbilder in Ihre Chronik

Jack Dorseys reine Bitcoin-Philosophie wurde nach der Einführung des Features anscheinend auf den Kopf gestellt. Am Donnerstag gab Twitter bekannt, dass es eine NFT-Profilbild-Überprüfungsfunktion für Twitter Blue-Benutzer anstrebt.

In einem Schritt, der dazu führte, dass der Technologieriese zu einer der ersten Social-Media-Plattformen wurde, die NFTs in ihre App einbaute, werden Twitter Blue-Abonnenten auf iOS-Geräten von nun an die Möglichkeit haben, ihre Krypto-Wallets mit ihren Twitter-Profilen zu verbinden und somit ihre NFTs anzuzeigen.

Während mehrere Benutzer bereits NFTs in ihren Profilen verwenden, wird Twitter jetzt eine Verifizierbarkeit hinzufügen, um die Authentifizierung und den wahren Besitz der digitalen Kunst anzuzeigen. Darüber hinaus würden die Profilbilder eine unterschiedliche Form haben und eine schicke sechseckige Struktur annehmen, die sich von den üblichen kreisförmigen Profilbildern der Plattform unterscheidet.

Twitter hat jedoch nicht klargestellt, wie es mit Rechtsklickern umgehen will, die die NFT-Profilbilder herunterladen, zu digitalen Sammlerstücken prägen und als eigene NFT-Profilbilder verwenden könnten.

Das soziale Netzwerk gab auch an, dass sich die neue NFT-Funktion noch in der aktiven Entwicklung befindet und es unklar bleibt, ob sie der allgemeinen Community auf der Plattform zur Verfügung gestellt werden soll.

Genau wie bei DeFi verliert Ethereum bei NFTs gegen konkurrierende Ökosysteme, warnt JPMorgan

In einer kürzlich an Kunden gesendeten Mitteilung postulierte JPMorgan, dass Ethereum kontinuierlich seinen Marktanteil an kleinere Netzwerke wie Solana verliert. Solana hat seit August 2021 Ethereum beim NFT-Volumenanteil durchweg übertroffen, das ist die Zeit, als die NFT-Szene begann, einen großen Aufschwung zu sehen.

Ein Team von Analysten der Investmentbank erklärte, dass Ethereum von Überlastungsproblemen und hohen Gasgebühren geplagt wurde, ungeeignete Faktoren für Benutzer, die NFTs prägen möchten. Konkurrierende Ökosysteme wie Solana, Wax und Tezos ziehen die migrierenden Benutzer in ihre Kreise.

Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, der das Forschungsteam leitete, erklärte, dass die Marktdominanz von Ethereum in diesem Bereich innerhalb eines Jahres um 15 % gesunken ist. Anfang 2021 lag die Dominanz des Ökosystems bei 90 %, jetzt bei 80 %.

Panigirtzoglou erklärte auch, dass, wenn dieser Trend im Laufe des Jahres „nachhaltiger“ erscheinen würde, wir einen größeren Einfluss auf die Bewertung von Ethereum sehen könnten, der sich aus dieser Marktverschiebung ergibt.

Dies könnte Anlass zur Sorge geben, da JPMorgan die Theorie aufstellte, dass der Marktanteil von Ethereum bei NFTs weitaus wertvoller sei als bei DeFi. Der Grund dafür ist, dass NFTs das „am schnellsten wachsende Universum im Krypto-Ökosystem“ sind.

MicroStrategy wird seinen 5-Milliarden-Dollar-Bitcoin-Vorrat „hodln“, sagt der CEO

Michael Saylor, Chief Executive von MicroStrategy, sagte, dass seine Firma keine Bitcoin in ihrem Portfolio verkaufen, sondern ausschließlich kaufen und halten werde.

Saylors Kommentare erfolgten zu einer Zeit, in der die Stimmung auf den Kryptomärkten rückläufig ist und digitale Vermögenswerte kaum nach oben schauen. Der Geschäftsführer behauptete, dass er selbst dann nicht in Panik geriet, als der BTC-Markt um bis zu 40 % auf weniger als die 40.000-Dollar-Unterstützung fiel.

Saylor behauptete auch, dass er angesichts der steigenden Inflationsraten, die Fiat-Geld zeigt, „großen Trost“ in Bitcoin verspüre. Er argumentierte, dass seine Firma durch das Hodeln von Bitcoin eine ziemlich gute Stellung gegen ein inflationäres Umfeld aufgebaut habe.

Er sagte bereits Ende letzten Jahres voraus, dass er erwartet, dass Bitcoin in Zukunft 600.000 USD und schließlich 6 Millionen USD erreichen wird. Sein fester Glaube an Bitcoin zahlt sich derzeit jedoch nicht aus, da die Aktien von MicroStrategy im letzten Jahr um 16 % gefallen sind, obwohl Bitcoin im gleichen Zeitraum um 35 % gestiegen ist.

Intel plant, effizientere ASIC-Miner herauszubringen, schnappt sich das in Ohio ansässige Startup als ersten Großkunden

Der in Kalifornien ansässige Chiphersteller Intel plant Berichten zufolge die Veröffentlichung eines ultra-niedrigen und energieeffizienten ASIC-Miners auf der ISSCC-Konferenz, die für Ende nächsten Monats geplant ist.

Tom’s Hardware, das die Geschichte zuerst veröffentlichte, schlug vor, dass das bevorstehende Projekt ein Bitcoin-spezifischer ASIC sein würde, um sich an dem Patent für einen optimierten SHA-256-Datenpfad auszurichten, das Intel 2018IC beantragte. Es wäre auch wichtig, da Bitcoin den kryptografischen Hash-Algorithmus hashcash SHA-256 nutzt.

In einem Interview gegen Ende des letzten Jahres deutete Intels System- und Grafikarchitekt Raja Koduri an, dass das Unternehmen an dem Projekt interessiert sei. Er sagte, dass der Technologiehersteller an Hardware arbeite, die optimiert sei, um die Einschränkungen durch hohe Kosten und hohen Stromverbrauch bei der Blockchain-Validierung zu lösen.

Der von Intel geplante Mining-Chip „Bonanza Mine“ tauchte auch in einem späteren Bericht auf, diesmal von Fox Business.

In der Meldung wurde berichtet, dass GRIID, ein in Ohio ansässiges Mining-Startup-Unternehmen, eine Vereinbarung mit dem Chip-Hersteller getroffen hat, um der erste Empfänger von BZM2 ASIC-Minern zu werden. Laut einer S-4-Einreichung von GRIID beginnt die Lieferung der Bitcoin-Mining-Ausrüstung noch in diesem Jahr. Außerdem würde das Startup einen „signifikanten Anteil“ an Intels zukünftigem Pool von Minern haben.

The post MicroStrategy hält trotz Markteinbruch an Bitcoin-Vorräten fest appeared first on BitcoinMag.de.

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5 Reasons why you should buy NEAR

 The volatility of the crypto space has made gaining wealth in the 21st century easy. All you need to simply do is invest at a low and take your profit at a high, but we both know it can’t be this easy. Regardless, you are already searching for a coin you can buy out of the over 10,000 cryptocurrencies in the market and go ahead to plan your retirement. Fortunately, you’ve been able to arrive at a list.

However, take your mind away from those coins on your list. Let me interest you in NEAR Protocol. So, consider these five reasons before you take the giant step. Before that, let’s cover the basics of Near Protocol.

 NEAR Protocol is a third-generation blockchain launched in 2017 by Alexander Skidanov and Illia Polosukhin. It was initially a machine learning platform. Now, it is a network that rewards computers for operating the platform. It was created to speed up transaction rates, increase throughput, and aid compatibility.

 It is a base layer on which decentralized applications can be created. Compared to other blockchains, it is sustainable, interoperable, secure, cost-effective, friendly, and pragmatic for users. The NEAR Protocol aims to revolutionize systems and impact how users use the web generally.

1. NEAR Protocol is accessible and usable

 NEAR Protocol is a community-run decentralised platform that supports the development and operation of dApps. It is a decentralised database and a computation platform without a server. It has made it easy for engineers and innovators to use it to create various products while also serving a pool of users. It is expanding the reach of Open Finance and paving the way for web 3.0.

 NEAR Protocol will allow the creation of user-friendly applications that would require little or no permission to be engaged. NEAR is based on a usability-first approach. This means that apps created on the network would mirror those on web platforms while also ensuring security. It would be simple to onboard projects and easy to subscribe, with predictable pricing and usage styles that users are familiar with.

 In essence, both users and developers will experience seamlessness on the platform. It would be easier to create accounts with domain names that can be comprehended by everyone. It has eliminated the need for Ethereum Name Service.

 For developers, creating and deploying applications have been simplified. They can use JavaScript, Rust, and AssemblyScript software development kits. They would also have the platform’s search tool, NEAR Explorer.

2. NEAR Protocol uses shards its Data

 NEAR Protocol employs a sharding approach which allows it to partition its data. This improves its scalability, making it run more transactions. This approach is called Nightshade. It allows the network to grow as the number of nodes increases.

 Sharding allows each node to store a small subset of the platform’s data. It splits the computing work across the nodes due to high network usage. These nodes handle the data processing and add the resulting information to the main chain. This improves the security of the network as the potential points of failure are reduced because each node oversees a part of the network.

 Also, it would help solve the blockchain trilemma. Asides from sharding, it has developed a dynamic re-sharding. This adjusts the number of shards regularly and dynamically based on the demands of users. This increases transaction throughput and reduces transaction costs.

 Unlike other blockchains that use this approach, all shards are a part of the main chain. It also has Doomslug. This enables validators to generate blocks in turn, once per epoch based on their stake. Block creation takes approximately one second.

3. NEAR Protocol uses an eco-friendly consensus algorithm

 Unlike the pioneer blockchains, NEAR Protocol uses a specialised proof-of-stake algorithm- Thresholded Proof-of-Stake. This makes it more decentralised by enabling the permissionless interaction of node operators with the network. It eliminates the pooling power of validators and allows the ubiquitous participation of node operators. It ensures a fair and predictable consensus.

 This promotes growth as more nodes would be able to join. It also allows developers and innovators to make money from their projects. It assigns a fee to a contract when it is created, and the developer can withdraw it.

 Unlike other proof-of-stake, delegated tokens are not lost when the validator is slashed for malicious behaviour; only the reward is lost.

4. NEAR Protocol has bridges

 Blockchains improve their interoperability by creating links with other blockchains. NEAR Protocol has several bridges to serve this purpose. It has become compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine through the Aurora bridge. This makes it easier for developers to transfer their apps to the fast, low-cost, and scalable NEAR.

 It has also partnered with Terra to bridge Terra’s assets with the platform. Also, it has the Rainbow bridge that supports the transfer of funds between NEAR and Ethereum. Additionally, there is the Octopus Network, a network that allows interoperability with blockchains like Bitcoin, Polkadot, Cosmos, and so on. This would make it compatible with NEAR-based tokens and the Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol.

 These bridges increased their transaction throughput (721,061) in January 2022.

5. NEAR Protocol has an expanding ecosystem

 Due to its futuristic features and developers‘ community, it has witnessed an exponential growth of its ecosystem in the last two months. It is ranked the third fastest growing platform for developers right now. It plans to combine the creativity of its community with accurate decisions and execution. Also, it hopes to aid a fast improvement of its protocol with the supervision and input of the community.

 It aims to provide the platform for the birthing of web 3.0. Flux protocol, Mintbase, and Paras are some of the popular projects on the ecosystem.

Ending Note

 To invest in NEAR Protocol would be to buy its native token, NEAR. NEAR is used as a reward for node operators and validators. It is used to pay for transactions, run applications, and reserve storage units for applications. It is also burnt as a deflationary measure. To get more NEAR, you can stake, participate in bounties, win a NEAR hackathon, run a community, create on the network, or be an active community member.

 As of today, NEAR is ranked 22, with a market cap of $8.5 billion. It costs $13.77 right now and peaked at $20.44 in January 2022. Out of the 1 billion total supply, 618.4 million is in circulation right now. It is trading on Binance, MEXC Global, and Huobi Global right now.

 If you can already picture the web 3.0 world, then you won’t hesitate to bag some NEAR. However, the decision is yours to make; in the end, it would be your loss or gain. As always, this is not financial advice. Do your research and deal wisely.

The post 5 Reasons why you should buy NEAR appeared first on Coin Journal.

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Crypto-centric stocks plummet as Bitcoin falls below $35K

Crypto stocks tumbled on Friday as risk-off sentiment swept through the markets.

While US markets were recording a fifth straight negative session of the week, cryptocurrencies were bleeding heavily as bulls got battered.

Bitcoin price declined below a critical support level, with an analyst suggesting the drawdown could see the pioneer crypto slump to lows of $30,000. On Saturday 22 January, Bitcoin price broke below $35,000 and was on track for more than 12% in intraday declines and close to 20% over the week.

Crypto stocks like Coinbase, Voyager Digital and Marathon slumped Friday, with MicroStrategy also seeing a major dip.

Riot Blockchain shares plunge 15%

Riot Blockchain (RIOT) shares retreated heavily on Friday, dropping more than 14% to close at $15.00. Over the week, RIOT has declined 24% and is down more than 33% YTD.

Despite the rout seen over the past month, shares of the Bitcoin miner are still up nearly 400% in the past three years. Revenue has also increased twofold in each of the last three years to suggest the company is on a strong footing.

Elsewhere, Coinbase (COIN) slipped 13% to $191.97, while Robinhood (HOOD) fell 5.2% to $12.98. Coinbase shares have declined

Robinhood’s shares are nearly 30% down year-to-date and close to 60% off its IPO price of $38 in July.

Voyager Digital Ltd shares fell to a 52-week low of $9.95 before recouping some of the losses to close at $10.12, about 15% lower.

Other publicly traded crypto-centric companies to see huge declines on Friday were Hive Blockchain (HIVE) at -16%; Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) at -11%; Hut 8 Mining (HUT) at -13% and Bitfarms (BITF) at -14%.

MicroStrategy (MSTR) slides 20%

MicroStrategy Inc. shares fell over 20% on Friday to record the stock’s worst single-day performance since 23 February 2020. After opening at $422.84, the stock fell to $365.98 to touch a 52-week low before closing at $375.89 for an 18% downturn.

On a weekly view, MicroStrategy has declined 22%, while year-to-date returns stand around 33% lower.

While the decline for the enterprise software maker’s stock follows the broader market trend, it also comes after documents showed the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had rejected the company’s crypto accounting strategy.

Last week, MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor said that the company would not be selling its Bitcoin haul even if prices continued to crash.

The post Crypto-centric stocks plummet as Bitcoin falls below $35K appeared first on Coin Journal.

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5 Reasons you should buy Bitcoin

If you’re looking to invest in cryptocurrencies. In that case, you have a lot of options at your fingertips, so much that it can be hard to decide what assets to invest in or what cryptocurrency to buy. Over 8,000 cryptocurrencies are begging for your attention, but there are also a few that stand out. Bitcoin is at the top of that list.

Odds are, you might already be considering buying some, but you’re not sure why you should choose it over the rest of the other assets. If you belong in this category, good news because you will learn five reasons why you should buy Bitcoin in this article.

1. Bitcoin is the currency of the future.

In 2008, not many people were willing to accept bitcoin as a store of value. However, individuals and beyond have a growing wave of its applications.

There are Bitcoin ATMs worldwide for individuals who intend to make bitcoin transactions. This need arises from its growing demand. Considering just America, over 100 million bitcoin wallets are held by over 15% of Americans. Of that percentage, more than 1 million users buy and sell bitcoin on a daily basis.

2. The Scarcity of Bitcoin will bring more value in the future

The fiat currency system proved to be quite effective, but there was a basic flaw. Any nation’s government can decide to print as much of it as they’d like to. Even though it can be a good way to create or control inflation, it means that the value of money is subjective to whatever the government chooses to do at any point in time.

Here’s where bitcoin is very different. Bitcoin is limited in supply. Only 21 million bitcoin exist and can ever be minted or mined. This helps to protect its value as it is not subject to the laws of inflation or deflation.

The scarcity of bitcoin makes it more like digital gold. It is difficult to mine; it is limited in supply. Think of it this way: the demand for bitcoin is continually growing. From basic economics, the greater the demand, the greater the price of an asset. Now, add the fact that bitcoin is very scarce; the value is even bound to increase to more astronomical levels.

Remember when bitcoin was trading at less than a dollar? Now, it’s bounced up more than 5 million percent above that. That rise is almost unimaginable, but it happened. Guess what else can happen in 20 years when you choose to buy bitcoin now.

3. Bitcoin allows you full anonymity and privacy.

Bitcoin operates a fully decentralised system. Unlike centralized systems that are controlled by third party central banks that have the ability to hold or suspend accounts, bitcoin transactions can be made without the watchful eyes of any institution or agency. Your bitcoin cannot be confiscated. Your wallet cannot be frozen. More companies and well-known institutions adopt cryptocurrency for payments and settlement of purchases. The blockchain ledger system of record keeping is even more useful for institutions. Transactions are recorded as they happen. They cannot be altered, and every transaction is adequately confirmed before any action is taken.

Even banks are beginning to experiment with bitcoin. Some countries have already accepted bitcoin as their first choice method of payment.

Also coupled with anonymity, bitcoin allows you to transact faster. All of those put together make bitcoin the perfect choice for investment.

4. Bitcoin has a first-to-market advantage.

Just about any product that’s the first of its kind has an advantage over the other products in the same class. The same goes for bitcoin. It is the alpha of all cryptocurrencies. The pioneer asset for other cryptocurrencies.

This means that while new cryptocurrencies and altcoins will continue to rise by the day, bitcoin will still be the most trusted. The price tells the story. Bitcoin is still the most valuable cryptocurrency out there. But, if that doesn’t convince you, check the market cap. It shows that more people are willing to invest in bitcoin than any other cryptocurrency.

It might be easy to forget about dogecoin or litecoin, but do you ever see bitcoin going away? Can you imagine it fading into the background and fizzling out like a cloud of steam? I can’t, and I bet you can’t too.

In fact, I challenge you to gather a hundred people or as many as you can and give them 10 seconds to mention five cryptocurrencies. I assure you that bitcoin will appear on every single list. It’s settling for every investor to know that his chosen digital currency or store of value is the most trusted of all the others and has the best results in terms of value and market capitalisation.

5. Bitcoin makes for a safe and secure investment.

One of the reasons people trust bitcoin so much is its clear-cut reputation. Bitcoin has a track record of safety. There’s no doubt about its regulation with the SEC, ASIC, and other crypto regulating entities. Other cryptocurrencies might make for scary investments. For one, you have to research its founder, research whether it’s regulated and controlled, and consequently decide whether it would make a worthy investment or not. The credibility of bitcoin, however, cannot be doubted. As long as you have a well-protected crypto wallet to hold your addresses and keys, your bitcoin couldn’t be any more secure.

Ending Note

The facts are there. Bitcoin makes a great investment. But ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether bitcoin would make a good store for your value or an addition to your investment portfolio. It’s your money, after all. Whatever you decide, though, make sure you’ve weighed the upsides and downsides before reaching that conclusion. Most importantly, be sure you’ve thought through all these reasons.

Remember, the cryptocurrency market is very volatile. Do not invest money you cannot afford to lose. This is not investment advice. Do more research before you buy bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.

The post 5 Reasons you should buy Bitcoin appeared first on Coin Journal.