Blockchain Insider Podcast by 11:FS

Simon's in the studio with Joon Ian Wong, Managing Director for Europe and Asia at Coindesk, Claire Wells, Director of Legal & Business Affairs EMEA at Circle, and Aman Kohli, CTO of Financial Services and Insurance Practice at Microsoft. First up, Circle eyes crypto securities bid with crowdfunding site acquisition. Circle is reportedly moving to acquire SeedInvest, a crowdfunding platform for startups. Their acquisition will – if approved by regulators – open to the door to allowing startups to raise funds by selling digital tokens via its platform. Yale Invests in Crypto Fund That Raised $400 Million. The Ivy League school is getting into the market for cryptocurrencies. $30 billion endowment is headed by David Swensen. Under Swensen’s leadership, Yale has returned 11.8 percent on average for the past 20 years. Ninety-six percent of endowments and foundations responding to a survey by consulting firm NEPC in February said they don’t invest in digital currencies. SEC, CFTC charge bitcoin futures firm 1Broker with securities law violations. The SEC announced in a press release that it filed charges against 1pool Ltd., also known as 1Broker, as well as its CEO Patrick Brunner for selling security-based swaps to U.S. and international investors without following proper "discretionary investment thresholds." Notably, investors could only purchase these swaps with bitcoin, according to the claims. The SEC is further claiming that 1Broker was not registered a "security-based swaps dealer" and "failed to transact its security-based swaps on a registered national exchange." Marco Polo blockchain platform for trade finance released. Marco Polo is an initiative to develop an open account trade finance platform powered by blockchain technology. The platform is built by TradeIX, R3 and a group of banks on the Corda blockchain framework, using TradeIX’s open-source tools to test, pilot and manage open account trade finance transactions. The announcement was made at the CordaCon London event on September 13, where Rob Barnes, co-founder and CEO of TradeIX, gave the audience new insights into the project’s timeline. TD Ameritrade all-in with crypto, invests in exchange. Announced this week a strategic investment in ErisX, the cryptocurrency spot and futures exchange. We also have a Tweet of the Week on Iconomi discontinuing their ICN token. Tying up the show we have a great interview with Adi Ben-Ari, Founder of Applied Blockchain (he was supposed to be on this week but he was sick). All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Adi Ben-Ari, Aman Kohli, Claire Wells, and Joon Ian Wong. Links: Circle Eyes Crypto Securities Bid With Crowdfunding Site Acquisition - CoinDesk Yale Said to Invest in Crypto Fund That Raised $400 Million - Bloomberg SEC, CFTC Charge Bitcoin Futures Firm 1Broker With Securities Law Violations - CoinDesk Marco Polo blockchain platform for trade finance released | Global Trade Review (GTR) TD Ameritrade All-In With Crypto, Invests In Exchange

Today's episode is a little bit different. Simon and Colin interviewed some great guests at Blockchain Live to get an insight into what's happening in blockchain straight from the experts. We speak to: Garrick Hileman, Head of Research at Blockchain Xen Baynham-Herd, Head of Strategy and Lead Economist at Blockchain Joanna Hubbard, Co-Founder of Electron Rhian Lewis, Founder of London Women in Bitcoin David Williams, CEO at Chorum Richard Crook, CTO at Chorum Ben Wyeth, Senior Innovation Engineer at Chorum Lydia Torne, Senior Associate at Simmons & Simmons All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Michael Bailey Special Guests: Ben Wyeth, David Williams, Garrick Hileman, Joanna Hubbard, Lydia Torne, Rhian Lewis, Richard Crook, and Xen Baynham-Herd.

Simon and Colin are live at the Blockchain Insider stand and sat down with a great guest, Teana Baker-Taylor, CMO at Coinfloor. We also have an exclusive interview with Dan Larimer, CTO of Block.one and Brendan Blumer, CEO of Block.one. First up the panel takes a look at New York AG report faulting crypto exchanges for manipulation risks. The New York Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has released a report on cryptocurrency trading platforms, finding that many are vulnerable to market manipulation and referring several exchanges to another agency for potential violations of state law. NYAG's inquiry was launched in April, seeking voluntary participation from 13 of the world's most notable trading sites, including Coinbase, Kraken, Bitfinex, Bittrex, and Binance, among others. a16z crypto purchases 6% of MKR, backing Stablecoin Vanguard MakerDao. Signaling their support of MakerDAO’s Dai stablecoin, investment fund a16z crypto has purchased 6% of the total MKR token supply for $15 million USD. The purchase gives a16z crypto a stake in the first functional decentralized stablecoin and the only system built with formally verified smart contracts on Ethereum (or any blockchain). From adoption to FOMO: Reasons behind Ripple’s leap. Over the past week, altcoin Ripple’s (XRP) price has gone through the roof. It has seen an unprecedented 140 percent growth over the past seven days. We explore the major reasons why it's grown so fast. How Colin because a crypto quadrillionaire without writing a single line of code. Bitcoin bugs out. CVE-2018-17144, a fix for which was released on September 18th in Bitcoin Core versions 0.16.3 and 0.17.0rc4, includes both a Denial of Service component and a critical inflation vulnerability. In order to encourage rapid upgrades, the decision was made to immediately patch and disclose the less serious Denial of Service vulnerability, concurrently with reaching out to miners, businesses, and other affected systems while delaying publication of the full issue to give times for systems to upgrade. We also have a Tweet of the Week on moggy miners. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha, written by Dhanum Nursigadoo and edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Brendan Blumer, Dan Larimer, and Teana Baker-Taylor. Links: New York AG Report Faults Crypto Exchanges for Manipulation Risks - CoinDesk a16z crypto purchases 6% of MKR, backing Stablecoin Vanguard MakerDAO From Adoption to FOMO: Reasons Behind Ripple’s Leap | Cointelegraph How I became a Crypto Quadrillionaire without writing a single line of code… Bitcoin Core :: CVE-2018-17144 Full Disclosure In Wake of 'Major Failure,' Bitcoin Code Review Comes Under Scrutiny - CoinDesk

Colin and Sara are in the studio with Noelle Acheson, Editorial Producer at Coindesk and Tim Swanson, Founder and Director of Research at Post Oak Labs. First up, the group takes a look at a U.S. Judge stating that Initial Coin Offerings are covered by securities law. A federal judge has ruled that U.S. securities laws may cover an initial coin offering, handing the government a legal victory in its effort to regulate billions of dollars in cybercurrency offerings much like stocks. The ruling came in a criminal case against a man charged with promoting digital currencies backed by investments in real estate and diamonds that prosecutors said didn’t exist. Finra charges broker with fraud and unlawful distribution of unregistered cryptocurrency securities. FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) filed a complaint against Timothy Tilton Ayre of Agawam, Massachusetts, charging him with securities fraud and the unlawful distribution of an unregistered cryptocurrency security called HempCoin. This case represents FINRA’s first disciplinary action involving cryptocurrencies. SEC Chairman Jay Clayton releases statement regarding SEC staff views. The Commission’s longstanding position is that all staff statements are nonbinding and create no enforceable legal rights or obligations of the Commission or other parties. The $1Billion Tezos Blockchain has officially launched. The Tezos Foundation raised $232 million in July 2017 to build the network and issue a new type of cryptocurrency to its backers in one of the largest-ever initial coin offerings. Several class-action lawsuits have been filed in the United States against the project’s organizers alleging the fundraiser violated federal securities laws and defrauded investors. Binance to start closed beta testing of new crypto-fiat exchange in Singapore. While no further details have been specified, the crypto-fiat Singapore-based exchange will presumably support the local Singapore dollar. Singapore ranked third most favourable country for ICOs in mid-July (in terms of number of top global ICO projects. Bitcoin trading volume has "Skyrocketed" in Argentina due to rising inflation. Alexander Tapscott, Canadian businessman and author, recently pointed out that bitcoin trading volumes are ‘skyrocketing’. It appears that Argentina is heading toward a recession due to mismanaged monetary policies. Argentina is struggling and many of its citizens now appear to have more confidence in cryptocurrencies than in the traditional financial system. Significantly, weekly bitcoin trading volume on peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange, LocalBitcoins, (in Argentina) has increased to nearly $7 million. We also have a Tweet of the Week on ICO skeptics. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha, written by Dhanum Nursigadoo and edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Noelle Acheson and Tim Swanson. Links: Initial Coin Offerings Covered by Securities Law, Judge Says - Bloomberg FINRA Charges Broker with Fraud and Unlawful Distribution of Unregistered Cryptocurrency Securities | FINRA.org SEC.gov | Statement Regarding SEC Staff Views Volume 2 Issue 35 – Diar Cryptocurrency project Tezos to launch main network next week | Reuters Binance to Start Closed Beta Testing of New Crypto-Fiat Exchange in Singapore Bitcoin Trading Volume Has "Skyrocketed" in Argentina Due to Rising Inflation | CryptoGlobe

This is an extra special bonus episode of Blockchain Insider as in this interview with Richard Brown, CTO of R3, Simon and Colin talk to him about how they first encountered Bitcoin and the start ofthe blockchain phenomenon. They also look at what blockchain, in the Corda sense, brings to the world that was missing before, how open source blockchain holds the potential to change industries across the world and how to represent real world assets on the blockchain. The four also talk about blockchain as the next megatrend, what the future of blockchain could be, why they focused on financial aspects of blockchain and sidechannel attacks. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This bonus episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Mike Hearn and Richard Brown. Sponsored By: R3: R3 is working with a network of over 200 financial institutions, regulators, trade associations, professional services firms and technology companies to develop on Corda, its open source open source blockchain platform designed specifically for businesses. R3 is an enterprise software firm working with banks, financial service providers and tech companies to make contracts smarter. Corda is the outcome of over two years of intense research and development by R3 and its members. ItCordaItand meets the highest standards of the financial services industry, yet is applicable to any commercial scenario. It records, manages and executes institutions’ financial agreements in perfect synchrony with their peers, creating a world of frictionless commerce... And it’s open source. Corda - It’s blockchain for every business, in every industry business. For business. Head over to r3.com to find out more.

Simon and Sara are with Aman Kohli, CTO of Financial Services and Insurance Practice at Microsoft and Ryan Radloff, CEO at Coinshares. First up the panel looks at What an SEC Bitcoin ETF rejection review really means. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Thursday that nine bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) disapproval orders are to be stayed until further review. The aftermath of the Bitcoin boom and the hard lessons for cryptocurrency investors and whether crypto is too accessible. IBM-Maersk blockchain platform adds 92 clients as part of global launch. A previously unnamed collaborative effort between the world’s largest shipping company, Maersk, and IBM, has now grown to 92 participants and been dubbed TradeLens. The blockchain platform has been quietly orchestrating global trade with less reliance on middlemen for a year, resulting in 154 million shipping events in ports around the world, and is now growing at a rate of one million per day. Wirex becomes third crypto company to receive FCA e-money licence. Wirex Limited, the popular global crypto/fiat payment platform, has just become the third cryptocurrency-enabled company in the world to be granted a UK FCA emoney license. The FCA’s approach to cryptocurrencies has been relatively cautious, but their progressive stance towards blockchain technologies is encouraging. Singapore presses ahead with blockchain-based Project Ubin. Singapore's central bank is working with the Singapore Exchange and three technology partners - Anquan, Deloitte and Nasdaq - to develop Delivery versus Payment (DvP) capabilities for settlement of tokenised assets across different blockchain platforms. Thailand's Central Bank Is Developing a Digital Currency Based on R3 Tech. The Bank of Thailand (BoT) 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. We also have a Tweet of the Week on how the XRP ledger is inherently decentralised, even more so than bitcoin and ethereum... Rounding off the show we have an interview from Colin with Michael Sonnenshein, Managing Director at Grayscale. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Aman Kohli, Michael Sonnenshein, and Ryan Radloff. Links: What an SEC Bitcoin ETF Rejection Review Really Means - CoinDesk After the Bitcoin Boom: Hard Lessons for Cryptocurrency Investors - The New York Times IBM-Maersk Blockchain Platform Adds 92 Clients As Part Of Global Launch Wirex becomes third crypto company to receive FCA e-money licence Singapore presses ahead with blockchain-based Project Ubin Thailand's Central Bank Is Developing a Digital Currency Based on R3 Tech - CoinDesk Major Russian Airline Tests Blockchain in Bid to Track Fuel Payments - CoinDesk

Simon and Sara are with Teana Baker-Taylor CMO of Coinfloor, Michele Curtoni, Director of Digital Assets, Blockchain at State Street, and Alex Hern, Technology Reporter at the Guardian to go over the biggest blockchain stories of the week. First up the panel looks at ASX's declaration that a new DLT system could save billions. The Australian Securities Exchange could save as much as $23 billion in its effort to replace its settlement system with a distributed ledger, its CEO announced Thursday. Dominic Stevens, MD and CEO of ASX believes DLT in place of Clearing House Electronic Subregister System (CHESS), would offer greater efficiency transmitting messages and accessing information. California opens up to allowing crypto political donations. The California Fair Political Practices Commission met on Thursday to discuss a number of election issues, including whether candidates for public office can accept cryptocurrencies as campaign donations. There's a blow to Bitcoin as Coinbase CEO makes a stark warning. He has warned that widespread, mass bitcoin adoption for payments is going to be a long time coming, Bitcoin price is down some 70% from its highs at the end of last year and many of newer cryptocurrencies that have been created in the last few years have been all but wiped out. Venezuela just devalued the bolívar by 95% and pegged it to a cryptocurrency. Venezuela has announced another series of desperate measures to try to save its economy from collapse. The government is devaluing the Venezuelan bolívar by 95% and pegging it to the government's oil-linked cryptocurrency. Nividia gives disappointing sales forecast on lower crypto demand. Nvidia Corp.’s nine-month crypto gold rush is over, sales of graphics chips to miners of cryptocurrencies like Ethereum dried up faster than expected. Nvidia said it had expected about $100 million in sales of chips bought by currency miners in the fiscal second quarter. Instead, the total was $18 million in the period, and that revenue is likely to disappear entirely going forward. Lack of Correlation for Bitcoin sees little relief as Markets Sell Off. While cryptocurrencies aren’t correlated with other asset classes, they’re strongly correlated among themselves. Bitcoin has held a correlation of over 0.7 with Bitwise’s 70 Small Cap and 10 Large Cap crypto indexes for most of the year. We also have a Tweet of the Week on how to explain Bitcoin to your grandpa. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill and Michael Bailey. Special Guests: Alex Hern, Michele Curtoni, Sara Feenan, and Teana Baker-Taylor.

Simon is with Anthony Macey, Martin Bartlam, Partner and International Group Head of Finance & Projects and Fintech Global Co-Chair at DLA Piper, Noelle Acheson, CFA and Editorial Producer at Coindesk, and Todd McDonald, Co-Founder and Head of Partnerships at R3, to go over the biggest blockchain stories of the week. First up the panel looks at crypto unicorn, Bitmain considering $18 Billion IPO, one of the world's largest. The cryptocurrency mining company is filing for an initial public offering (IPO) potentially as high as $18 billion this September at a market capitalization of $40 to $50 billion. Then they discuss Facebook's Marcus stepping down from Coinbase board. David Marcus is stepping down from the board of directors at cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, citing his new assignment at Facebook leading the social media giant's blockchain strategy. Barclays denies crypto trading desk plans as staff removes ‘Digital Asset Project’ LinkedIn Info. Barclays told Cointelegraph that they have “no plans for a crypto trading desk.” As of press time, Duval and Tyrer’s LinkedIn profiles still show positions at Barclays working with 'digital assets,' but all information detailing the specifics of the jobs is not listed. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan invest in Axoni's $32 Million funding round. Enterprise-focused blockchain startup Axoni has completed a $32 million Series B funding round led by Goldman Sachs and Nyca Partners. Also participating in the round were Andreessen Horowitz, Citi, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Y Combinator and Digital Currency Group, among others. R3 publishes a new post-quantum signature algorithm tailored to blockchains. Corda team has recently announced a new digital signature scheme that unlike RSA and ECDSA, it will remain secure even against a powerful quantum computer. The panel manage to explain quantum computing. Criminal activity in cryptocurrency has dropped 80% since 2013. An agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has noted that Bitcoin’s (BTC) role in crimes has dropped to just 10% of transactions, while transactions themselves have “grown tremendously”. We also have a Tweet of the Week on Ripple. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Anthony Macey, Martin Bartlam, Noelle Acheson, and Todd McDonald. Links: Crypto Unicorn Bitmain Weighs $18 Billion IPO, One of World's Largest - CoinDesk Facebook's Marcus Steps Down From Coinbase Board - CoinDesk Barclays Denies Crypto Trading Desk Plans as Staff Removes ‘Digital Asset Project’ LinkedIn Info Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Invest in Axoni's $32 Million Funding Round - CoinDesk R3 publishes a new post-quantum signature algorithm tailored to blockchains Soaring ICO Failure Rate Sees Investors Flock to 'Bigger Players' - Bitcoinist.com Where Have All the Augur Users Gone? - CoinDesk US DEA: Criminal Activity in Cryptocurrency Has Dropped 80 Percent Since 2013

Simon and Sarah are with Teana Baker-Taylor, CMO at Coinfloor. We also have a great talk with Jeff Bandman, Principal at Bandman advisors, to take us through the biggest story of the week. First up we hear from Jeff Bandman on the world’s biggest stock exchange operator launching a Bitcoin market. ICE (the owner of NYSE) made the groundbreaking announcement on Friday, revealing that the new platform — Bakkt — has been developed in partnership with a variety of blockbuster names, including Microsoft, Starbucks, and BCG.Bakkt will integrate with the ICE’s U.S. futures market and clearinghouse to list a physically-settled one-day bitcoin futures product, complete with physical warehousing managed in-house by ICE. Next up we go over our Twitter poll results, don't forget to vote this week! Then the trio takes a look at Starbucks clarifying media misrepresentation on its new crypto venture. Starbucks has clarified that it will not be accepting Bitcoin (BTC) or other cryptocurrencies as payment -“customers will not be able to pay for Frappuccinos with bitcoin”. After that we discuss OKEx moving to protect its futures market with an injection of 2500 BTC into the exchange’s insurance fund from its own capital after a forced liquidation on July 31st threatened to destabilize its operations. The futures contract amounted to a staggering $420 million worth of BTC. Next the panel discusses Northern Trust opening doors to cryptocurrency hedge funds as part of pervasive blockchain expansion. In addition to adding a number of new blockchain features for managing its private equity workflow, the company, which has almost $10.7 trillion in assets under custody and administration, has also quietly opened its fund administration services to a select group of hedge funds betting on bitcoin and ethereum. Goldman Sachs Is Considering a Custody Offering for Crypto Funds. A formal offering from an institution like Goldman Sachs would provide a credible backing for crypto funds and could pave the way for more investors to bet on the asset class. Having a custody operation in place could also lead to other ventures, including prime-brokerage services. We also have a Tweet of the Week on Satoshi Nakamoto that you just can't miss. All this and so much more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, please leave us a review on iTunes. This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Jeff Bandman and Teana Baker-Taylor. Links: Breaking: World's Biggest Stock Exchange Operator is Launching a Bitcoin Market ‘No Coffee for Bitcoin,’ Starbucks Clarifies as Media Misrepresent Its New Crypto Venture OKEx Initiates 'Clawback' after BTC Futures Pool Can't Cover $420m Liquidation Northern Trust Opens Doors To Cryptocurrency Hedge Funds As Part Of Pervasive Blockchain Expansion Goldman Sachs Is Considering a Custody Offering for Crypto Funds - Bloomberg Coinbase Custody is exploring a range of new assets Binance CEO Interview: CZ on the Future of Blockchain, Cryptocurrency | Fortune Blythe Masters Looks Beyond Finance for Next Wave of Blockchain Growth - CoinDesk Bill Burdin on Twitter: "“People put more faith in a guy named Satoshi Nakamoto that no one has ever met than they do in the US Fed.” ICE founder, Chairman, and CEO Jeffrey Sprecher"

Simon's with Noelle Acheson, CFA and Editorial Producer at Coindesk, Vinay Gupta, Founder of Mattereum, and Stephane Malrait, MD Global Head of Market Structure and Innovation for Financial Markets at ING. We kick things off with a potential U.S. Bitcoin ETF launch in 2018, widely anticipated as a catalyst to jolt Bitcoin out of its bear market, an ETF launch for the cryptocurrency in the U.S. this year is unlikely, in Bloomberg’s view. The SEC is increasingly sensitive to public opinion and well-aware of the potential market impact. The SEC may release its decision on the latest proposed Bitcoin ETF from CBOE Global Markets on Aug. 10. Next up the panel looks at IBM, Barclays and Citigroup building a blockchain-based app store. IBM and foreign exchange settlement service CLS are building a network based on blockchain technology for testing new applications. Nine financial institutions, including Barclays and Citigroup, are already signed up to participate. We move on to BBVA's inability to hold cryptocurrency and why it's a problem. In the process of executing what was expected to be the third in a series of blockchain-based corporate loans, the bank had to work around a lack of legal and regulatory clarity over whether it could (or should) hold the cryptocurrency needed to power a transaction on ethereum. However, erring on the side of caution, BBVA chose to abide by European Banking Authority (EBA) recommendations and not use the native token of ethereum, ether. Instead, the bank anchored the loans to an ethereum testnet, a blockchain which simulates the live version, but that doesn't move real value. This week's Tweet of the week comes from Vitalik Buterin criticising the focus on ETFs and pushing for adoption strategies. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets to try and get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Laura Watkins and Petrit Berisha. Edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Noelle Acheson, Stephane Malrait, and Vinay Gupta.

Sarah and Sara go through a run down of the latest crypto news including: Blackrock explore bitcoin, Block.one close a ‘strategic investment round’, and will there be Major League Baseball Crypto? We kick things off with Blackrock beginning to explore bitcoin. BlackRock has set up a group made up from different parts of the business to investigate cryptocurrencies and their underlying infrastructure to investigate how the $6.3 trillion asset manager can take advantage of the fast-growing cryptocurrency market. Then we move on to Block.one announcing on the 16th of July that Peter Thiel has invested in the company, along with other notable investors, Bitmain, Louis Bacon, and Alan Howard. Block.one has so much money now it’s hard not to wonder what they’re going to do with it. Next up Major League Baseball has announced that it is launching a crypto-based game that runs on the ethereum blockchain later this summer. Fans will be able to purchase avatars from baseball history. Those avatars can then be sold or traded, and users can earn rewards. Is this the tokenisation of trading cards and can Ethereum handle it? We move on to Coinbase getting the green light to list coins deemed securities. Coinbase Inc. said it got the green light from U.S. watchdogs to move forward with a trio of acquisitions that will allow it to become one of the first federally regulated venues for trading digital coins deemed to be securities. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority approved Coinbase’s purchase of Keystone Capital Corp., Venovate Marketplace Inc. and Digital Wealth LLC. And this week’s Tweet of the week is the controversial bit of news from Coinbase that they’re adding a host of new crypto assets to their platform. Simon hosted a panel at the Europa conference discussion institutional firms moving into crypto featuring: Lawrence Lundy Head of Research and Partnership at Outlier Ventures Obi Nwosu, CEO and Co-Founder of Coinfloor Claire Wells, Director of Legal & Business Affairs EMEA at Circle. The panel examines how institutional financing can help put a price limit on crypto and stabilise the space, but how in a crypto-to-crypto space there’s possibly no reason to have institutional money at all, and what’s holding asset managers back from entering the space. They also look at the value of the crypto asset market and how it can be utilised as a use case for blockchain. And how crypto can operate as a means for global financial inclusion. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Claire Wells, Lawrence Lundy, and Obi Nwosu. Links: $6Tn Money Manager BlackRock in Bitcoin? Top Crypto Minds Comment | Cryptocoin Spy Block.one Closes Strategic Investment Round Led by Peter Thiel and Bitmain | Block.one MLB will release a crypto baseball game on the blockchain - The Verge Litecoin Foundation Acquires 9.9% of Bank in Payments Partnership - CoinDesk Coinbase Says It Won Approval for Trio of Acquisitions - Bloomberg Coinbase on Twitter: "Today we are announcing that we’re exploring the addition of the following assets to Coinbase: Cardano (ADA), Basic Attention Token (BAT), Stellar Lumens (XLM), Zcash (ZEC) and 0x (ZRX). https://t.co/qoECyR0V1f"

Simon and Sara sit down with Noelle Acheson Coindesk, Editorial Producer and Joon Ian Wong, Coindesk, Managing Director Europe/Asia to discuss the latest blockchain news, including: Todd McDonald had a Corda, The FCA is letting Blockchain play in their sandbox, and Coinbase get their custodial party started. We kick off with Binance eyeing a $1 billlion profit with a few discussions on why Binance is bothering to release this information now. And how with such a fragile market they may not be on top for long, with many younger companies biting at their heels. There's also a few interesting points made on how regulation may interact with crypto exchanges in the near future. We move on to Coinbase targeting insitutitional investors. There are few rumours that institutional investors have long been waiting for a custodial product in crypto that fits their needs, could this be it? We also discuss Vitalik Buterin's provocative comments on centralised exchanges and if these exchanges are even a good idea. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? This week's episode of Blockchain Insider was produced by Petrit Berisha and edited by Holly Blaxill. Special Guests: Joon Ian Wong and Noelle Acheson. Links: World's Largest Crypto Exchange Eyes $1 Billion Profit Amid Rout - Bloomberg Binance Creates 'SAFU' Fund After Outage Becomes Marketing Gold - Bitcoinist.com ‘Coinbase Custody’ Targeting Institutional Investors Now 'Officially Open for Business' Swiss Stock Exchange to Tokenize Securities With New DLT Platform - CoinDesk Filings Link Crypto Exchange Bitstamp to Game Maker Nexon - CoinDesk The Emergence of Enterprise Tokens – Corda – Medium R3 launches Corda Enterprise FCA reveals blockchain and crypto-heavy fourth sandbox cohort - AltFi News Ethereum (ETH) Going Higher Security with the New Vyper Language Introduced - Ethereum World News

Sarah and Sara sit down with Maya Kumar, Head of UK & Ireland for Luno to discuss the latest blockchain news, including: EOS & IOTA come under scrutiny, SolarisBank launches Blockchain Factory, and are Facebook going to acquire Coinbase? Simon also has a great interview with Peter Grosskopf, CTO of Solaris Bank to talk through the launch of Blockchain Factory. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Maya Kumar and Peter Grosskopf. Sponsored By: R3: R3 is working with a network of over 200 financial institutions, regulators, trade associations, professional services firms and technology companies to develop on Corda, its open source open source blockchain platform designed specifically for businesses. R3 is an enterprise software firm working with banks, financial service providers and tech companies to make contracts smarter. Corda is the outcome of over two years of intense research and development by R3 and its members. ItCordaItand meets the highest standards of the financial services industry, yet is applicable to any commercial scenario. It records, manages and executes institutions’ financial agreements in perfect synchrony with their peers, creating a world of frictionless commerce... And it’s open source. Corda - It’s blockchain for every business, in every industry business. For business. Head over to r3.com to find out more.

Sarah sits down with Pete Rizzo, Editor at Coindesk and Anastasia Andrianova, CEO of Akropolis to discuss the latest blockchain news including: Stellar looking to acquire Chain, US Secret Service on Anonymous crypto, and #21e800. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Anastasia Andrianova and Pete Rizzo. Sponsored By: R3: R3 is working with a network of over 200 financial institutions, regulators, trade associations, professional services firms and technology companies to develop on Corda, its open source open source blockchain platform designed specifically for businesses. R3 is an enterprise software firm working with banks, financial service providers and tech companies to make contracts smarter. Corda is the outcome of over two years of intense research and development by R3 and its members. ItCordaItand meets the highest standards of the financial services industry, yet is applicable to any commercial scenario. It records, manages and executes institutions’ financial agreements in perfect synchrony with their peers, creating a world of frictionless commerce... And it’s open source. Corda - It’s blockchain for every business, in every industry business. For business. Head over to r3.com to find out more. Links: Zcash Pays Off Developer to Avoid Blockchain Split - CoinDesk EOS' Blockchain Arbitrator Orders Freeze of 27 Accounts - CoinDesk | Fortune Robinhood CEO: No Plans to Make Money on Cryptocurrency Trading for 'Forseeable Future' - Bitcoinist.com a16zcrypto | Fortune U.S. Secret Service: Action Needed To Address Anonymous Cryptocurrencies CryptoUK and FT Alphaville Debate Cryptoasset Regulation at UK Treasury Hearing | CryptoGlobe

Simon and Taylor sit down in the WeWork Aldgate offices in London to catch-up and have some very emphatic discussions on the latest blockchain news. Colin also interviews Stephen Palley, Partner at Anderson Kill. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Stephen Palley. Sponsored By: R3: R3 is working with a network of over 200 financial institutions, regulators, trade associations, professional services firms and technology companies to develop on Corda, its open source open source blockchain platform designed specifically for businesses. R3 is an enterprise software firm working with banks, financial service providers and tech companies to make contracts smarter. Corda is the outcome of over two years of intense research and development by R3 and its members. ItCordaItand meets the highest standards of the financial services industry, yet is applicable to any commercial scenario. It records, manages and executes institutions’ financial agreements in perfect synchrony with their peers, creating a world of frictionless commerce... And it’s open source. Corda - It’s blockchain for every business, in every industry business. For business. Head over to r3.com to find out more. Links: SEC announces ether is not a security [Video] Banks unlikely to process payments with distributed ledgers for now, says Ripple | Reuters | Fortune Researchers continue to find vulnerabilities in $9B cryptocurrency EOS New Report Blames Tether for Bitcoin’s Bull Run - Bitcoin News Skycoin Team Status Update | Blog Swarm to launch new tokens representing equity in Coinbase, Robinhood, Ripple, and Didi - Swarm Coinbase, Ripple Blast Company Creating Tokens in Their Name - CoinDesk

Simon sits down with Amber Baldet, CEO and Co-Founder of Clovyr in the 11:FS offices in WeWork Aldgate in London for our landmark 50th episode of Blockchain Insider. We bring you an interview with crypto queen Amber Baldet, Ripple under security scrutiny yet again, and the EOS Mainnet nightmare. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Amber Baldet. Sponsored By: R3: R3 is working with a network of over 200 financial institutions, regulators, trade associations, professional services firms and technology companies to develop on Corda, its open source open source blockchain platform designed specifically for businesses. R3 is an enterprise software firm working with banks, financial service providers and tech companies to make contracts smarter. Corda is the outcome of over two years of intense research and development by R3 and its members. ItCordaItand meets the highest standards of the financial services industry, yet is applicable to any commercial scenario. It records, manages and executes institutions’ financial agreements in perfect synchrony with their peers, creating a world of frictionless commerce... And it’s open source. Corda - It’s blockchain for every business, in every industry business. For business. Head over to r3.com to find out more.

We kick things off with the Blockchain portion of our live show from the Arena Stage, by talking cargo on a blockchain! Can companies revolutionise their shipping systems by utilising the technology? Find out what the team had to think about the Maersk x IBM pilot! Are we just doing old things using new technology? Next up, Binance announce a $1 billion investment fund! A drop in the ocean for them, but find out what our great panel think about the massive margins Binance work with, and what their future looks like. We then on go to discuss the future of tokenisation, how much money is still being raised by ICO's, regulators and much, much more. That's not all though folks, Brad Garlinghouse joined Simon Taylor to talk all about Ripple, XRP, xRapid, xCurrent, decentralisation and so much more. This interview has already got thousands of hits on YouTube- it's a great interview! But wait, there's more....Simon also talked to Brad Zastrow, Global Head of Business Development of the Dash Core group! We're really spoiling listeners on today's show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Brad Garlinghouse, Brad Zastrow, David M. Brear , Jeff Tijssen, and Sam Maule.

First up, the US launch a probe into Bitcoin price manipulation (shock). Spoofing and fake buy/sell orders among a flurry of other illegal practices are what the justice department are focusing on. A long time coming some would say... Next up, tokenisation, tokenisation, tokenisation. IHS Markit, the market infrastructure giant, is developing a new blockchain-based system to handle the payments leg of syndicated loan trading – and eventually, a wider range of financial transactions. Is this one of the first steps in tokenising the world? Many argue that custody is what's stopping institutions from fully submerging themselves into the crypto world, and BitGo are trying to build their own digital asset custodian!The startup said Thursday that it was "seeking a charter to build BitGo Trust," a "new, regulated, qualified custodian" that will be built specifically for digital assets. Interesting stuff indeed... Next, the team discuss the link between the blockchain & crypto world and financial inclusivity. How can we help the unbanked bridge the gap between themselves and mainstream the mainstream financial world? Well 5 Philippines’ Banks are going to Pilot Ethereum-based Blockchain for Retail Payments! The team discuss the drawbacks, but also what incredibly positive implications this pilot could have. You may have heard a lot about GDPR recently, and there's been a lot of debate as to how blockchain is 'compliant' to the new set of regulations and our team continue said debate; is it a threat or an incentive? Next up, highly popular crypto EOS may be in trouble....Chinese cyber-security mogul 360 Total Security has identified a series of “epic” security vulnerabilities in the EOS network that has put it's mainnet launch into question. Code for tokens was the next story covered, as the startup behind Zk-Starks Tech Seek Cryptocurrencies as customers. Rather than doing an ICO, the guys behind ZK-Starks are offering up their novel technology to blockchains in return for their native asset. Lastly, we talk about blockchain going 'green'. Lot's has been made of the consumption of energy when it comes to mining, but we take a look at an article that discusses just how blockchain can have a positive impact on the environment! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Teana Baker-Taylor. Links: Bitcoin Price Manipulation Probe Launched By Justice Department - Bloomberg IHS Markit Has A Plan to Tokenize A $1 Trillion Loan Market - CoinDesk BitGo Is Building Its Own Digital Asset Custodian - CoinDesk Philippines’ Banks to Pilot Ethereum-based Blockchain for Retail Payments GDPR and Blockchain: Is the New EU Data Protection Regulation a Threat or an Incentive? 'High-Risk Vulnerabilities' Found in the EOS Network: Mainnet Launch Now Uncertain - Bitcoinist.com Startup Behind Zk-Starks Tech to Seek Cryptocurrencies as Customers - CoinDesk When Cryptocurrency Goes Green, Blockchain Can Save The Environment

Colin G. Platt is back in our offices talking to Pete Townsend, CEO and Founder of Norio Ventures, and Richard Brown, CTO of our Lead Sponsor for Blockchain Insider, R3. The trio discuss Circle's status as a bitcoin unicorn, Consensys collaboration with Amazon, and the SEC's brilliant Howeycoin ICO. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Pete Townsend and Richard Brown. Links: Japan Banking Giant Mitsubishi Goes Crypto With Own Coin - Bitcoin News R3 and Commerzbank take “significant” step into blockchain Circle Becomes 'Bitcoin Unicorn' with Bitmain-Backed Mega-Round - CoinDesk 0x (ZRX) Protocol v2.0: The Next Phase of Decentralized Trading | usaCommerce ConsenSys Teams up with Amazon to Deliver Streamlined Access to Blockchain - Blockchain News Tradeshift fires-up blockchain to address late payment problem | TechCrunch Capital Markets Blockchains Are Finally Getting Go-Live Dates - CoinDesk The SEC Just Launched a Fake ICO Website to Educate Investors - CoinDesk

Sarah Kocianski sits down with Oscar Williams-Grut, Senior Reporter at Business Insider to discuss Amber Baldet's new startup, HSBC make waves with soybeans, and Citizen Reserves fires tokens at the international defence industry. Simon also meets with Pete Rizzo Editor of Coindesk for an interview. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Oscar Williams-Grut and Pete Rizzo. Links: Amber Baldet’s New Startup Is a Blockchain Dapp Store - CoinDesk JP Morgan's New DLT Lead: We're Not Done With Blockchain Innovation - CoinDesk HSBC completes blockchain-powered trade finance deal with Cargill - Business Insider Deloitte Veterans Are Launching a Tokenized Blockchain for Supply Chain - CoinDesk Commonwealth Bank CFO Rob Jesudason to lead Block.one as Group President and Chief Operating Officer | Block.one Exclusive: NASDAQ-Powered Crypto Exchange DX Set to Launch Next Month | Finance Magnates Founders of ICO Endorsed By Floyd Mayweather Indicted for Fraud - CoinDesk Florida Tax Collector to Accept Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash Payments - CoinDesk

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Focusing on: what impact the SEC's decision on Ethereum will have on ICOs, Ripple being sued for security violations, and the likelihood of Fedcoin. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Links: SEC decision on Ethereum cryptocurrency could affect others funded by ICOs | Computerworld SEC commissioner won't declare all tokens are "securities" - Axios Ripple Sued for Securities Law Violations — CRYPTO LAW Should the Fed Create ‘FedCoin’ to Rival Bitcoin? A Former Top Official Says ‘Maybe’ - The New York Times Barclays CEO Rules Out Cryptocurrency Trading Desk, For Now 12 Chinese Banks Say They Deployed Blockchain in 2017 - CoinDesk Bitcoin Sees Wall Street Warm to Trading Virtual Currency - The New York Times South Korean lawmakers seek to overturn ICO ban | Asia Times BMW, Ford, GM: World's Largest Automakers Form Blockchain Coalition - CoinDesk Microsoft Azure Launches Tool To Speed Up Blockchain-Based App Creation

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Focusing on: 1 in 5 financial institutions considering cryptocurrency trading, Binance making more than Deutsche Bank, Gary Gensler's new focus on blockchain, and UCL doesn't care one IOTA. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. We also introduce to the mic, for the very first time, Petrit Berisha. Our plucky Assistant Producer matches blockchain wits with Simon and Sarah, offering some deep insight into this week's stories. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Petrit Berisha. Links: One in five financial institutions consider cryptocurrency trading, survey says | Reuters Goldman Hires Former Crypto Trader | Investopedia Crypto Exchange Binance is More Profitable than Germany's Biggest Bank A Former Top Wall Street Regulator Turns to the Blockchain - The New York Times Everything Ex-CFTC Chair Gary Gensler Said About Cryptos Being Securities - CoinDesk Whether Ether is a security – Preston Byrne Nasdaq is open to becoming cryptocurrency exchange, CEO says ASX sets timetable for switch to distributed ledger University College London (UCL) severs ties with IOTA Foundation Switzerland Wants to Be the World Capital of Cryptocurrency - WSJ

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Focusing on: Cambridge Analytica's virtual currency plans, Pornhub accepting Verge, Binance denying dollar trading, Coinbase suspending Wikileaks bitcoin account, and why the crypto world needs to ask better questions. All this and more on this week's episode of Blockchain Insider. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Jo Lang, Noelle Acheson, and Olivia Vinden. Links: All About Verge: The $1 Billion Cryptocurrency That's Pumping On Porn - CoinDesk Crypto Exchange Binance Denies It Will Introduce Dollar Trading - Bloomberg Coinbase suspends WikiLeaks' bitcoin account Is the crypto world sexist? That might be the wrong question. - MIT Technology Review Inside Cambridge Analytica’s Virtual Currency Plans - The New York Times

Our hosts take an in-depth look on the most interesting news in blockchain this week. Looking at: Santander's new blockchain-based money transfer service with Ripple, Coinbase acquiring Earn.com, R3's Corda expands with SBI subsidiary, Barclays commissions a cryptocurrency trading desk, Malta proposes test to see when ICOs are securities, and Harbor raises $28M to reengineer private securities for blockchains. We also have an interview with Input Output CEO, Charles Hoskinson. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Charles Hoskinson. Links: Santander rolls out blockchain-based money transfer service with Ri... Coinbase Just Bought One of Bitcoin's Best-Funded Startups - CoinDesk Banking Giant SBI Subsidiary Joins R3 Blockchain Consortium - CoinDesk SOURCE: Barclays Commissions Cryptocurrency Trading Desk; Reaching Out To Hedge Funds, Institutional Investors - The ICO Journal - Cryptocurrency News, Bitcoin, Coin News Like flu season, the 'infectious' spread of bitcoin could be over, Barclays says Malta Proposes Test to Define When ICOs Are Securities - CoinDesk Harbor Raises $28M to Reengineer Private Securities for Blockchains

Bitcoin’s twitter account got hacked, causing yet another Internet-wide discussion on the death of free speech. It split the community and Colin clues us in on why both sides of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash think they’re right. Coinbase launch their early stage venture fund to a great deal of excitement, surprising given all the noise around ICOs. The exchange is planning to invest off its own balance sheet into companies it likes. It’s been a bad week for crypto exchanges with the Japanese regulator suspending two over failing KYC procedures and four high ranking executives have been arrested by South Korean police including CEO of South Korean exchange Coinnest in relation to billions of won embezzled from client accounts into their own. India bans regulated entities from entertaining virtual currencies. The central bank gave a deadline of 3 months to unwind from positions related to cryptocurrencies. Instead the regulator is planning to push blockchain in financial services to improve transparency. R3’s Research Director thinks that Central Bank digital currency could go live this year but warns that central banks will need to diversity their systems. Monero makes movements by splitting into four different crypto currencies and is XRP a security? Colin and Simon unpack the major debates on Ripple. All this and much much more on this week’s episode of Blockchain Insider. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and tell us how much you love the show by leaving a review on iTunes Special Guests: Greg Wolfson, John Collins, and Tim Swanson. Links: BCH-Promoting Twitter Account @Bitcoin Suspended, Internet Debates ‘Death Of Free Speech’ Bitcoin exchange Coinbase launches early-stage venture fund Japanese Regulator Suspends Two Crypto Exchanges Over KYC Failings - CoinDesk CEO of Korean Exchange Coinnest among Four Arrested for Fraud - Bitcoin News Bitcoin: India’s Central Bank Virtually Bans All Cryptocurrency Dealings. - Bloomberg Quint Central Bank Digital Currency Could Go Live This Year: R3 Research Director AMA: Ask Mike Anything : btc Universal Interoperability: Why Enterprise Blockchain Applications Should be Deployed to Shared… George Soros Prepares to Trade Cryptocurrencies - Bloomberg Rockefeller-Backed Venture Capital Firm Enters Crypto Market | CryptoSlate SEC Quietly Puts Bitcoin ETF Proposals Back on the Table Monero Mitosis: Hard Fork Leads To Four New Cryptocurrencies | CryptoGlobe Ripple Has Tried to Buy Its Way Onto Major Exchanges for Cryptocurrency - Bloomberg Is XRP a Security? Major Ripple Debates Explained - CoinDesk

Binance billionaire Changpeng Zhao makes a few very dodgy statements on a potential exchange that Simon and Sara both agree might be more than a little bit biased. Ethereum falters with the influx of ASIC mining rigs in the market. Simon explains the new powerful miner and the pair wonder if the era of Ethereum making money for ordinary people is coming to an end. Vitalik issues a scathing takedown on a man claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto without any real proof. The SEC delivers a knockout blow to Mayweather endorsed ICO after the founders are charged with fraud and a host of false executives are uncovered. We discuss what thos means for other ICOs and how transparent the SEC is around these takedowns. Bitcoin is still overvalued to the surprised of no-one in a recent study. Although Sara does appreciate the nuances addressed. Further damage to Bitcoin with Reddit refusing to accept the cryptocurrency any longer. Although if no-one’s using it can it really be called a currency? John McAfee makes waves in the crypto space with news that he’s charging over $100K for promotional tweets for ICOs. It’s a funny story that’ll probably make you laugh but it’s noted that what McAfee’s doing affects real people and there a question mark over the legitimacy of these tweets. Amber Baldet leaves JP Morgan in a positive way for both sides. It’s a loss for the investment bank but after establishing their blockchain platform Quorum, Amber is ready to set off on a new venture. Rounding off the show we have an interview with Pavel Bains from Bluezelle And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Pavel Bains. Links: How a Billionaire Crypto King Built the No. 1 Exchange in Just 8 Months Ethereum falls after rumors of a powerful mining chip surface SEC Halts Mayweather-Endorsed ICO, Charges Founders With Fraud Bitcoin is Still Overvalued Reddit Stops Accepting Bitcoin John McAfee is charging $105,000 for tweets promoting ICOs Amber Baldet Leaving JPMorgan To Start New Venture

Kicking off the show, R3’s CEO declares blockchain a once in a lifetime opportunity for financial markets. New opportunities chased by Deutsche Börse and HQLAx, the finance magnates are looking to build a securities lending platform on blockchain. Coinbase opening up its platform? The exchange is finally implementing Ethereum ERC-20 support but no specific assets have been named just yet. Lightning network gets its first lapp! Blockstream’s introduced FileBazaar, its first ever lightning app. What does the new e-commerce tool mean for blockchains future? Intel throws its weight behind blockchain to try and develop a next-gen media rights manager. We discuss how this could work, what mistakes developers have made in the past that they need to avoid and are consumers ready to go back to paying for all their media content? Google’s another blue chip working on blockchain. They’re working to integrate their cloud business and beat out the startups using the hyped tech to operate online in new ways. It might be possible with Google set to offer a distributed digital ledger to differentiate themselves. G20 meeting in Argentina ends with no new cryptocurrency regulation to the surprise of absolutely no-one. We discuss how regulation can be made and where that authority will come from. Polkadot’s looking to shake up the crypto market with a new playbook distributing power directly to token holders. We discuss what this means for crypto and Colin has some thoughts on Gavin Wood’s ties to the Parity hack and how secure this could be. Finally we bring you an interview with CEO and Co-founder of Coinfloor, Obi Nwosu who has some great insights on where blockchain is headed. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can get a shout out on the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Anthony Macey, Obi Nwosu, and Sara Feenan. Links: R3 CEO Says Blockchain Is a Once in a Generation Opportunity for Financial Markets Deutsche Börse and HQLAx to Build Securities Lending Platform on Blockchain Coinbase Adding ERC20 Support to Coinbase Bitcoin’s Lightning Network Gets its First LApp from Blockstream: FileBazaar Intel Thinks Blockchain Could Power a Next-Gen Media Rights Manager Google Is Working on Its Own Blockchain-Related Technology G20 Argentina Ends With No New Cryptocurrency Regulation Polkadot's Plan for Governing a Blockchain of Blockchains

Kicking things off on a special live episode, has Bitcoin solved its scaling issues? Lightning Network launches, more than doubling transaction speeds! Colin is keen to explain it all. 'Bitcoin investors are clueless' says Visa's CFO. Are cryptocurrencies just the new casino for unaware buyers to double or triple their cash in a low interest environment? But is all the future crypto potential on the enterprise side? Payment rails should be very afraid! If cryptocurrencies can figure out how to scale up then there's no telling what they could do. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney thinks crypto has no risk to financial stability. At less than 1% of the global GDP at its peak and unable to function as a currency, Bitcoin isn't able to take on the financial system. ICOs split opinions on the panel but one thing's for sure, both public and enterprise want a solid infrastructure. Colin has some strong opinions on the future of cryptocurrencies, could they ever compete with banks or do they need to find a way past focusing on transactions? Binance is keen to decentralise, but without a way of stopping scammers can it be used properly. Does decentralisation remove legitimacy for cryptocurrencies or will it make them stronger than ever? We've got a fantastic interview with Preston Byrne, who also managed to snag tweet of the week, on block-chain versions of central-bank cash. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can make it on to the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Jason Bates, Richard Crook, and Sara Feenan. Links: First Bitcoin Mainnet Lightning Network Product Launches As Developers Net $2.5 Million Bitcoin Investors have ‘no clue’ thinks Visa’s Chief Financial Officer Carney On Eve of G20: Cryptos Don't Pose Risks to Financial Stability JP Morgan's Amber Baldet On What Enterprise Wants from Ethereum Bloomberg - Binance Decentralized Exchange to List Almost Any Coin, CEO Says A primer on blockchain-based versions of central-bank money

First up, Binance are offering a $250,000 bounty for the arrest of hackers that tried to infiltrate the exchange earlier in March! Is Bitcoin as untraceable as we think? The met police claim that Bitcoin is not anonymous and is easy to track! Simon and Colin discuss this one in great depth. Next up, Bitfinex'd, the the pseudonymous blogger and persistent critic of cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex has lawyered up! An interesting saga to keep an eye on.... Following on from International Women's Day it was fitting that CoinDesk, one of the larger crypto publications wrote a great piece on encouraging and acknowledging Women in Crypto! We were super lucky to have Sandra Ro's insights on today's show as well! From Bifinex'd to Utility Token Bill's, Wyoming's state legislature has cleared a bill that would exempt certain types of crypto assets from securities laws. Are crypto-assets creeping toward legitimation? Now the next headline was controversial, but when Simon and Colin dogged deeper- it actually raised some interesting points. From The Verge, the headline read- 'Blockchain' is meaningless.... This wouldn't be a blockchain based show without mentioning the good folks of Ripple! According to Bloomberg Technology they have lost their bid to keep it's cryptocurrency fight in California. The dispute is over a staggering amount of XRP- once worth over $16 Billion, with R3. Another headline grabber, the FT writes that SWIFT claim blockchain not ready for mainstream use! According to them, the tech needs to mature to handle high volume transactions. From mainstream use to miners, Bitcoin miners have taken over a town in Seattle! This one was close to home for CGP (literally) so he gave us a good run down on this story. Staying with mining, Egypt are apparently forcing their citizens to mine cryptocurrency?! Simon and Colin had a lot to say about this questionable and slightly confusing headline! And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can make it on to the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Sandra Ro. Links: Binance Offers $250,000 Bounty For Arrest of Hackers Bitcoin is not anonymous and is easy to track, says Met Police Chief (Paywall) Bitfinex’ed Strikes Back: Lawyer Warns Bitfinex Against 'Threats' Toward Blogger Time to Acknowledge – and Encourage – Women in Blockchain Wyoming 'Utility Token' Bill Heads to Governor ‘Blockchain’ is meaningless FinTech Insider News Swift says blockchain not ready for mainstream use This Is What Happens When Bitcoin Miners Take Over Your Town A new report says Egypt is secretly forcing citizens to mine cryptocurrency KODAKCoin Backers Warn SEC Could Restrict Token Trading FinTech Insider News 周小川：中国央行正在研发数字货币DCEP_凤凰资讯 JP Morgan's Amber Baldet On What Enterprise Wants from Ethereum

First up, Coinbase is hit with not one but two class action Lawsuits! They've been accused of insider Bitcoin Cash trading and when you look at it's price chart, it doesn't help their case whatsoever...in brighter news though it plans that Coinbase may be planning to start a Crypto fund as the unicorn eyes further expansion. Sticking with the shady side of the law, TechCrunch founder's Crypto fund, Arrington XRP Capital, was subpoenaed by the SEC....let's see where this one goes! Moving on from busy lawyers to governmental crackdowns, Quebec throws cold water on Bitcoin miners seeking cheap power. A spokesperson said “If you want to come settle here, plug in your servers and do Bitcoin mining, we’re not really interested,” also stating that cheap power wouldn't be available for those not adding value to society. Next up, Bank Of England governor Mark Carney says Crypto exchanges face regulatory clampdown! He said "The time has come to hold the crypto-asset ecosystem to the same standards as the rest of the financial system". Staying in the UK, Shadow Secretary Diane Abbott has called Bitcoin a Ponzi scheme! She was quoted saying "If everyone took their bitcoin money and tried to buy a new car all at once the whole thing would collapse"...... well yes much like many financial markets but hey ho. Moving on, US regional banks begin to cite crypto as a business risk...did somebody say disruption? On to Asia- Bitcoin's Kimchi premium has all but evaporated. During Bitcoin's run up to $20,000, South Korean traders were paying 10%+ premiums due to incredible demand...during the recent market correction that has all but diminished! Finally, Credit Suisse and ING finalised the first live transaction using HQLAX securities lending app on R3's Corda blockchain platform......really interesting stuff! Special Guest: Joe Lubin. Links: Coinbase Hit with 2 Class Action Lawsuits: Accused of Insider Bitcoin Cash Trading | Investopedia Subscribe to read TechCrunch Founder's Crypto Fund Subpoenaed By SEC - CoinDesk Quebec Throws Cold Water on Bitcoin Miners Seeking Cheap Power - Bloomberg Quint Cryptocurrency exchanges to face regulatory clampdown, says Bank of England's Mark Carney | The Independent Diane Abbott: Bitcoin is 'Ponzi scheme,' Labour would regulate it - Business Insider US Regional Banks Begin to Cite Crypto as Business Risk - CoinDesk Bitcoin's 'Kimchi Premium' Has All But Evaporated - CoinDesk Credit Suisse and ING execute first live transaction using HQLAx securities lending app on R3’s Corda blockchain platform – R3

First up, this week's big news that Circle (backed by none other than Goldman-Sachs) have acquired crypto exchange Poloniex. Is this Wallstreet's 'in' to Crypto? Moving on to some regulatory news, NYC lawmakers claim that they are 'open' to revisiting the BitLicense regulation. What kind of impact would a reform have on the market and on blockchain innovation? From Lawmakers to Lawbreakers, Craig Wright, who's infamously claimed to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, is being sued for a whopping $10 billion! Next, R3 pilots blockchain trade finance platform with global banks-aiming to develop a "fully interoperable" open-source trade finance network built with their distributed ledger technology (DLT) product Corda. The blockchain space has largely been male dominated in recent years, however the NY times has rightly voiced the opinions of many brilliant female minds in the industry. Their title "Women in Cryptocurrencies Push Back Against ‘Blockchain Bros'" was widely shared, a quote that stuck out to us was “Women always question if they’re qualified-but look at these clowns around us.” ICO's just don't go away and Germany’s financial regulator BaFIN issues a letter titled "Supervisory classification of tokens or cryptocurrencies underlying so-called Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) as financial instruments according to securities supervision laws". So. Many. Words. Next, the Venezuelan president has apparently asked central banks to mine their national cryptocurrency. If you though a country having a petrol backed token was strange enough, just imagine their banks mining it? As always, on stories we didn't have time to cover: Elliott Management, a $34 billion hedge fund, described cryptocurrencies as 'one of the most brilliant scams in history', the Tezos board is reorganized and 50 cent admits in a bankruptcy document that he never actually owned any bitcoin. Right Fifty, whatever you say. And if you enjoyed our tweet of the week why not send us your best tweets? See if you can make it on to the show! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Frank Müller and Marcus Treacher. Links: Bitcoin News: Circle Buys Poloniex in Big Cryptocurrency Deal | Fortune New York Lawmakers Open to Revisiting the BitLicense - CoinDesk 'Satoshi' Craig Wright Is Being Sued for $10 Billion - CoinDesk R3 Pilots Blockchain Trade Finance Platform with Global Banks - CoinDesk Women in Cryptocurrencies Push Back Against ‘Blockchain Bros’ - The New York Times For Women in Cryptocurrency, a New Effort to Grow Their Ranks | WIRED Regulators mount up – BaFin provides further guidance on ICOs 46% of Last Year’s ICOs Have Failed Already - Bitcoin News Venezuelan President Asks Banks to Mine Cryptocurrency | Fortune Bitcoin 'one of the most brilliant scams in history,' says Elliott Management - Business Insider Tezos Board reorganized - Tezos Foundation 50 Cent admits in bankruptcy document that he never actually owned any bitcoin

First up on today's show from CNBC, the US government is nowhere near regulating Bitcoin. Rob Joyce emphasised the need to better understand the cryptocurrencies and our team discuss how this has been greeted positively by the trader community especially. Next, Ellen Degeneres compares Bitcoin to a Goat (I know) to her rather large audience. Even though the price hasn't been as exciting for speculators recently, Bitcoin is still mainstream and won't go away! Back to regulation, Switzerland's FINMA has released ICO guidelines and in the US the CFTC Chief has said the states should tread lightly on Crypto exchanges. Keeping with ICO's, Telegram have raised $850 million so far for their billion dollar ICO. The mass frenzy has seen many keep a keen eye on Telegram, some with less positive sentiments. Charles Noyas of Pantera Capital wasn't keen on this massive ICO. He described the project's 132-page technical whitepaper as "essentially a wishlist of things they want to have, and how it will work assuming that their wishlist doesn't crash and burn." Damning to say the least... Vitalik Buterin the father of Ethereum has tweeted a warning to his followers stating that "traditional assets" are a safer place to hold your live savings. He caught quite a lot of hate in the comments, but is this the way more blockchain figureheads should be acting in the crypto space? Bitcoin is mainstream but it's position in asset classes is still not obvious. Divorce lawyers are finding this out the hard way and a UK based firm have claimed that they are dealing with multi-million dollar cases over centring around cryptocurrency assets. Moving on- are Atari about to have their Kodak moment? The game-makers who created Pacman are planning an ICO because..it's 2018? On to Bitcoin mining- with China cracking down, where is the best place to mine Bitcoin? Apparently Venezuela is the cheapest place to mine the cryptocurrency whereas South Korea was found to be the most expensive. Finally, we follow up on dark pools after last week's episode, as a $30 million ICO could pave way for huge crypto traders. As always there's so much news out there and we can't cover it all, so we had some stories we just couldn't squeeze in. These include: Ethereum Dev Yoichi Hirai Steps Away From Role As EIP Editor, Citi Bank and Credit Agricole buy a stake in SETL and R3 are training DLT lawyers. In today's episode we also bring you an interview with Patrick Berarducci and Matt Corva from Consensys about Brooklyn Project. Exciting stuff! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Matt Corva and Patrick Berarducci. Links: US government is nowhere close to regulating bitcoin, White House cybersecurity czar says Ellen DeGeneres on Bitcoin: It's 'Either Worth $20K or Nothing' CFTC Chief: US Should Tread Lightly on Crypto Exchanges Secretive messaging app Telegram is selling a $2 billion crypto dream — but skeptics smell a 'ploy' Ethereum founder warns cryptocurrencies 'could drop to near zero at any time' Divorcing couples may clash over Bitcoin Game Maker Atari Is Planning to Launch Its Own Cryptocurrency 🎮👾 With China Cracking Down, Where To Mine Bitcoin Instead? Into the Dark Pool: $30 Million ICO Could Pave Way for Huge Crypto Trades

Simon and Sara (no Colin this week) tackle the week's news stories Kicking off with the biggest story: France and Germany's crackdown on crypto. France and Germany have put it to the G20 that the time has come to regulate IPOs and bitcoin. In a join statement they say they are aiming to: Build a common understanding on the nature of tokens Monitor the implications on market stability Find better protections for non professional investors Adopt a common approach on anti money laundering Simon and Sara share their views on this one. The second story this week covers JPMorgan Chase's report that, despite Jamie Dimon's infamous comments to the contrary, states that crypto is unlikely to disappear. Our third biggest story is Binance's denial of their hack, despite claims and particularly tweets from John McAfee. This brings the team to discuss the impact of sentimentality and drama on the market's volatility. Even if a hack isn't real, if headlines are written claiming it has been, it still has an impact. Sara and Simon also take on Ledger Nano's vulnerability to cyber attacks; Russians arrested for mining bitcoin, the Winkelvoss' latest bitcoin predictions, Litecoin's release of LitePay, Venezuela's backing of Petro, and bitcoin's popularity on the dark web. Simon also speaks to Blythe Masters, all about Digital Asset Holdings, the differences between assets and currencies and how to get involved in the digital asset market. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Blythe Masters and Sara Feenan. Links: France and Germany demand Bitcoin clampdown Criminals hide 'billions' in crypto-cash - Europol - BBC News IMF Chief Lagarde: Global Cryptocurrency Regulation Is 'Inevitable' - CoinDesk Crypto ‘Unlikely To Disappear’, Says Internal Report A... | News | Cointelegraph DVn_3Z5VMAA_AFg.jpg (1028×1200) Binance Vs. McAfee: Hack Rumors Controversy | News | Cointelegraph All Ledger hardware wallets vulnerable to man in the middle attack Russians arrested for 'mining bitcoin' at nuclear facility | World news | The Guardian Winklevoss Twins: Bitcoin Has Potential To Grow At Lea... | News | Cointelegraph Will LitePay Be the Game Changer that Takes Cryptocurrency Mainstream? - Nasdaq.com Venezuela to Officially Propose Crypto Backed Petro to OPEC Litecoin, Monero Popular With Criminals Tired of Bitcoin | Fortune UAE Exchange signs deal with fintech Ripple for international payments - Business Insider Into the Dark Pool: $30 Million ICO Could Pave Way for Huge Crypto Trades - CoinDesk CME to Patent System for Seamless Blockchain Rule Changes - CoinDesk

In this episode, Simon, Colin and guest Sara Feenan dissect the week's news and we have a fantastic interview from Jameson Lopp! Kicking off with the biggest story of the... year? The market be down: prices have tumbled 50% from all time highs, is this a disaster or must what goes up, always come back down? Lloyds have banned customers buying bitcoin on credit cards. Is this sensible or over-protecting of customers, and also protecting themselves? Colin and Sara say you should never buy crypto on credit card, for the risks involved, never invest your money if you don't have it in the first place - the price falling shows how much people can lose. They also talk regulation as the SEC and the CFTC begin to give testimony, the State of Wyoming tries to ring fence token sales out of securities law, and Canadian regulators approve their first Blockchain ETF. Does the Wired article "The Big ICO Swindle" mean the tech purists have turned their back on ICOs? Colin thinks no one has every done anything meaningful from an ICO, excepting Ethereum. Can you think of any examples? @Bchaininsider if so. GSass is back with a vengeance when it comes to the Puerto Rico "bitcoin bros" in their crypto "utopia', Colin does not hold back his opinions on this one! Additionally, one of Colin's 2018 predictions seems to be coming into fruition as Enterprise blockchain finally seems to be breaking out, and everyone is very enthusiastic about this, are the tools developers have been working on finally coming to the fore? And finally UNICEF asks PC gamers to mine Ethereum and donate to Syrian children - while well meaning, is anyone actually doing this? The team discuss. We also speak to Jameson Lopp, a massive presence in the Bitcoin and Blockchain world, software engineer at BitGo, creator of statoshi.info and founder of bitcoinsig.com. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Jameson Lopp and Sara Feenan. Links: The Crypto Market Is Down Over 50% from 2018 Highs - CoinDesk Lloyds bans customers buying bitcoin on credit card What to Expect When CFTC, SEC Chiefs Talk Crypto With Congress - CoinDesk US State Senators Introduce Bill Exempting Tokens From Securities Laws Canada: Regulators Approve Country’s First Blockchain ETF Bitcoin, Blockchain, and the Trouble with ICOs | WIRED Making a Crypto Utopia in Puerto Rico - The New York Times ‘Bitcoin is my potential pension’: What’s driving people in Kentucky to join the craze - The Washington Post Compliance officers sweat as cryptocurrency trades go mainstream Enterprise Blockchain May Be Ready for Its Breakout - CoinDesk Evernym and R3 pair Sovrin ID with Corda tech Different Approaches to Ethereum Identity Standards Dark web users are easy to unmask through their bitcoin use | New Scientist UNICEF Asks PC Gamers To Mine Ethereum And Donate To S... | News | Cointelegraph BTC Is a Fork of Bitcoin Cash, Says US Govt Standards Agency NIST - Bitsonline Qtum Launches ‘First Ever’ Blockchain Node Into Space | News | Cointelegraph RMG: Royal Mint Gold on a blockchain

After the market beatdown, Simon and Colin dissect the sustainability of current prices and how much longer regulators will stand idly by whilst pump and dumps continue to happen. Our first story comes from Coindesk, talking about the price action where Bitcoin 'defended' the $11,000 mark. Conversely, the Evening Standard came out with a story claiming investors were swapping their bitcoin for physical gold- are people actually swapping digital gold for it's physical counterpart? Staying with Bitcoin (shock, horror), Forbes claim that criminals are dropping BTC for other cryptocurrencies due to expensive, lengthy transactions. Criminals are apparently preferring more private coins. Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase recorded $1 Billion in revenue! The exchange exploded in 2017, so it's no surprise that it's booked such lofty numbers as the interest in cryptocurrencies continues to grow. Moving on and more from Coindesk, regulators gon' regulate as the SEC outlines reasons for reluctance to list cryptocurrency ETF's. Next, Shell has just made its first investment in blockchain with UK startup Applied Blockchain, and we have the pleasure of bringing you a soundbite from CEO Adi Ben-Ari! He explains what Applied Blockchain do, and how it's easy for Developers/Engineers to 'see through' certain crypto projects. Staying with large companies sticking their hands in the blockchain pie, IBM and Maersk form new blockchain company for international cargo which will automate paperwork for shipping across international borders. And lastly, Swift have signed an agreement with 7CSD's to explore blockchain post trade processes. Although no specific details have been leaked, Swift have claimed that the agreement is more exploratory in its nature. One to watch. We also bring you interviews with bitFlyer's CEO and founder Yuzo Kano and COO Andy Bryant, as the largest Japanese cryptocurrency exchange comes to Europe! Please do make sure to listen to the last 2 minutes for some great Orca/Whale related gags as Simon, Colin and the production team are struck by a giggling disease. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Adi Ben-Ari, Andy Bryant, and Yuzo Kano. Links: Bitcoin Defends $11,000 Mark and Eyes Move Higher - CoinDesk Bitcoin price plummet sees investors swap cryptocurrency for solid gold | London Evening Standard Bitcoin: Crooks Drop Bitcoin for Monero Cryptocurrency | Fortune Bitcoin broker Coinbase booked $1 billion in revenue last year - Recode SEC Outlines Reasons for Reluctance to List Cryptocurrency ETFs - CoinDesk Shell just made its first investment in blockchain with UK startup Applied Blockchain | City A.M. IBM, Maersk Form New Blockchain Company for International Cargo Swift Signs Agreement With 7 CSDs to Explore Blockchain for Post-Trade - CoinDesk

On today's show, we just had to start with crypto price bloodbath January has brought. Simon and Colin dissect rumours of centralised exchanges being banned in China & South Korea, as winter comes for crypto markets. Next, Mike Novagratz makes a '$400m bet' attempting to form a giant crypto merchant bank. Novagratz (who went big on both Bitcoin & Ethereum early) had plans for a crypto hedge fund which were cancelled in the past, so it remains to be seen what happens with this project. Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum founder, is another blockchain personality in the news today, who left VC firm Fenbushi Capital. Drama is never far from the cryptocurrency ecosystem and Tron, a Chinese crypto project has been accused of plagiarism with regards to their whitepaper. Translation issue? Or is there more in this story? ICO's were most certainly hot in 2017 and chat app Telegram hopes to raise up to $1.2 billion in an ICO. How will ICO's develop in 2018? The explore what could happen with that regard, but it seems initial coin offerings will still be a prevalent in 2018. Kraking on, Kraken, the world's 5th largest cryptocurrency exchange is back after a troublesome upgrade. Many speculated that some of the upgrades were un-professional with fears surfacing that some money could be lost. Sticking with exchanges, we discuss Binance-the fastest growing 'unicorn' in the crypto-currency world which has now surpassed a $1 billion valuation less than 6 months after launching. Truly extraordinary! Last but not least, we bring you interviews with two Ryan's! We were spoilt today as Ryan Shea came on the show to discuss Blockstack, a new internet for decentralized apps. The second Ryan, Ryan Selkis- came on to discuss his interesting blog titled 'I see You XRP' discussing all things Ripple, XRP and what's happening in the markets. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Ryan Selkis and Ryan Shea. Links: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, cryptocurrency prices fall on January 16 - Business Insider Michael Novogratz $400 Million Bet: Form Giant Crypto Merchant Bank Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has left VC firm Fenbushi Capital Tron’s Whitepaper is Copied, Plagiarized Telegram plans multi-billion dollar ICO for chat cryptocurrency Kraken Exchange Is Back Online After Troublesome System Upgrade Binance: the fastest profitable unicorn in history?

We begin this week's news by discussing Mark Zuckerberg's interest in decentralisation, as he made it his 'challenge of the year' to study how it could 'fix' Facebook. Speaking of Zuck, XRP (Ripple's crypto-currency) had an incredible run up peaking at over $3.80, making Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen actually wealthier than Mark Zuckerberg for a short period of time. This massive run saw Ripple monetarily become the second largest crypto asset in terms of market cap, so, as you can imagine Simon and Colin discussed the project at great length! Regulators are always a hot topic in the crypto sphere and this week was no different as Texas regulators ordered Bitconnect to cancel their token sale. We also saw Visa drop their cryptocurrency backed debit cards due to violation of operating regulations, which had users scrambling. Tying into 'dropping users', Bittrex, Binance and Bitfinex all halted new user sign ups due to incredible demand. Binance in particular claimed that they were seeing over 250,000 new users a day at one point, this enormous volume evidently reflecting the current rush of retail investors into the crypto space. Could these issues give decentralised exchanges an important role to play in 2018? Next, the Bank of England drops plans for its own cryptocurrency, fearing instability. Government backed cryptocurrencies stories really started surfacing in 2017, and it seems 2018 is no different. Moving on to some stranger news, we discuss Dentacoin- a dentistry based cryptocurrency that shot up 900%. Does this reinforce fears that the crypto market is in bubble territory? As always there's an array of topics we didn't have time to discuss including: Qtum - the next big thing?, Bitcoin Miners Shifting Outside China Amid Clampdown and What crypto didn’t give us in 2017. We also bring you an interview with Nordea's Head of Blockchain and DLT, Ville Sointu. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guest: Ville Sointu. Links: Mark Zuckerberg’s personal challenge is all about fixing Facebook before it implodes Rise of Bitcoin Competitor Ripple Creates Wealth to Rival Zuckerberg I See You, $XRP BitConnect handed a cease and desist order from Texas Securities Board Bitcoin card providers cancel services with zero notice Binance, Bitfinex, Bittrex Temporarily Say No to New Users Bank Of England Drops Plans For Its Own Cryptocurrency, Fearing Instability Dentacoin: Dental Crypto Bringing Smiles to Investors

Welcome to the very first show of 2018! We kick off the year with a bang, including some of the biggest stories from the holiday season, our predictions for 2018 and an interview with Peter Rizzo, Editor at Coindesk. First up on the first show of 2018 we take a look at Blockchain and crypto predictions for the year to come. Why will this be the year that institutional investors really get involved? Will 2018 be the year that web 3.0 takes off? How will ICOs evolve through 2018, and will pump and dump syndicates come under regulatory scrutiny? Check out Simon's 2018 blog right here. Next, it's fast-becoming a weekly feature, it's the cryptocurrency prices piece. On its 9th birthday, we ask how high Bitcoin can really go? Plus, Ether brings in the new year with a record high, and who are the crypto Billionaires getting rich from Ripple's XRP? Is it really true that nobody has come up with a use case for Blockchain in ten years? And is current technology simply the first stage in a wave of change that will take place over the next 10 to 20 years? 10 points to Colin, who, just two days into 2018, has already nailed one of his predictions for the year. So why has the ECB's Yves Mersch called Bitcoin a major threat to financial stability? Next in the news, we discuss how the US has closed a crypto loophole, and whether this will hit the market. What's up with Revolut? Or rather, what's up with Revolut crypto rates? How do they apply and how do they compare to other options? This week we're also very lucky to hear from Pete Rizzo, Editor at Coindesk, a leading industry news source. Pete explains how Coindesk went about curating 2017's Most Influential list and how they aimed to reach a consensus on the most influential players in DLT in 2017. And we didn't have time to talk about: whether Israel's central bank is considering digital currency; Putin's view on a possible CryptoRouble; and Blockchain's impact on the NHS. Check out the links below for all the stories we've discussed today. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guest: Pete Rizzo. Links: 2018 Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Outlook: Expert Blo... | News | Cointelegraph 2018 Blockchain Predictions - Are YOU Ready? - 11:FS Bitcoin: How High Can Bitcoin's Price Go in 2018? | Fortune Over $900: Ether Starts 2018 at All-Time Price High - CoinDesk Meet The Crypto Billionaires Getting Rich From Ripple's XRP Ten years in, nobody has come up with a use for blockchain What you really need to know about Revolut Crypto rates Putin Investigating 'Cryptorouble' as Way to Avoid Western Sanctions John Mann MP: Bitcoin's blockchain technology could have huge impact on how the NHS works Most Influential 2017 Archives - CoinDesk ECB's Yves Mersch Calls Bitcoin a 'Major Threat' to Financial Stability Goldman Sees Crypto, Credit Shadowing Robust 2018 U.S. Economy Cryptocurrency Investors Lose Major Tax Break Under New U.S. Tax Code Israel central bank mulls issuing digital currency for faster payments Hooters Franchisee Surges 41% on Cryptocurrency Rewards Program

As it's the Christmas break we are not here this week! But instead of the usual news overview we're giving you an interview-only special show, featuring Tim Swanson and Somil Goyal from new smart contracts start up Adjoint. Tim and Colin look back at the last year in blockchain and cryptoassets and give their predictions for 2018. Somil tells Colin all about Adjoint and what their first year in industry has looked like and what their plans for growth are in 2018 and the years to come. Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to all our listeners! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider and if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Somil Goyal and Tim Swanson.

G-Sass is back in France this week but that won't stop him joining Simon for this week's installment of the news show. First up this week, the guys explore the implications of competition in the crypto futures space, as the CME launches its contract to compete with CBOE. Bringing the cryto debate firmly into the mainstream, we discuss the French finance minister's intervention, urging a debate at the G20. Plus, why has Keanu Reeves spoken out over Bitcoin and what does it mean for the future of cryptoassets? Why has Bill Miller's hedge fun put half its money in Bitcoin and what could his strategy be? Plus, has Bitcoin really become the biggest bubble the world has ever seen? The guys also discuss the nature of Bitcoin - is it a commodity? - and is the price totally fictional or is it really related to something? Our very own Pete Townsend, 11:FS Asset Management Lead, joins us this week to break down Vanguard's plan to adopt blockchain technology. We discuss the Gnosis Dutch exchange - do check out the blog post here - and finally, Cardano, the "Ethereum of Japan" has jumped into the top six cryptocurrencies by market cap of USD $12bn. So what's all the fuss about and is it really as secure as bitcoin? And we didn't have time to discuss: Loopring's decentralized exchange and open protocol; HODL - why the only good bitcoin advice is four years old; and, once again, CryptoKitties. And to finish up this week, we bring you interviews with Mark Jeffrey from Guardian Circle and Paul Forrest from MBN Solutions. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guests: Mark Jeffrey and Paul Forrest.

G Sass is back in London for a second week in a row to join Simon for this week's recap of the top Blockchain news - and what a week of news it was. Bitcoin futures are now available for trading through CBOE. So what's a future, what's the significance of having a bitcoin future, and what was the impact when these futures launched? Next, why your grandmother should not be buying bitcoin, despite how easily some platforms are making it. The guys discuss the importance of investors' understanding of the market and risk. And if you do want to get up to speed on bitcoin, Colin gives his thoughts on the essential reading, and where to look for more information. Why are we so preoccupied with the energy consumption of bitcoin mining? And how might this impact the debate on energy use and climate change? Let us know why you think we're so attached to the energy narrative around bitcoin @BchainInsider. Digital Asset Holdings has been selected by Australian Stock Exchange, making it the first exchange to commercialise DLT. France will allow blockchain technology for trading unlisted securities (those not on the main exchange). So what will be the impact on startups and the listings market? And, MAMA has launched! That is, the Multichain Asset Management Association, an industry trade body for asset management startups. Plus, news that UBS is to launch a live Ethereum platform with Barclays, Credit Suisse and others. Next up, why has an ICO been halted after the SEC raised concerns over registration? And what does this say about the prospects for ICOs in the USA? And this week we also bring you an interview with Jamie Burke, founder and CEO at Outlier Ventures. Simon and Colin hear about Jamie's experience as an angel investor, the next phase of the web and the importance of decentralisation. They also discuss tokenomics and IOTA - why is it different to other DLTs and what's on their road map? That's it for this week. Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guest: Jamie Burke. Links: Bitcoin Futures Start With a Bang as 25% Rally Triggers Halts Getting Bitcoin on Grandma's Android Phone: 3 Easy Steps Please invest responsibly — an important message from the Coinbase team Bitcoin mining consumes more electricity than 20+ European countries Bitcoin mining consumes more electricity a year than Ireland | Technology | The Guardian Bitcoin mining uses more electricity than 159 countries — RT Business News Australian stock exchange to move to blockchain FinTech Insider News Asset management startups using blockchain get their own trade body: MAMA Company Halts ICO After SEC Raises Registration Concerns UBS to Launch Live Ethereum Compliance Platform with Barclays, Credit Suisse and More FinTech Insider News This man's lost bitcoin are now worth $75m – and under 200,000 tonnes of garbage FinTech Insider News

Colin has returned to the UK from his Australian adventure to join Simon back at our home in WeWork, Aldgate Tower. Once more, Bitcoin has hit a record high. But could the cryptocurrency's price be losing momentum? Bitcoin exchange Coinbase now has more users than stock brokerage Schwab, so what are the implications for its price? And, following its lawsuit defeat, Coinbase was forced to report some users to the IRS. Plus, as Bitcoin futures trading gets nearer, we ask why the price is still rising and what will contribute to its maturity? Five blockchain predictions for 2018, including non-financial applications, the internet of things and smart contracts. But will governments advance cryptocurrency tax rules? The cryptocurrency flash crash on the Bitfinex exchange caused uproar last week. So what caused it and could it have been avoided? Plus, was it really that bad? And, why did Bitfinex hire a law firm and team up with Tether? So many questions. And - it's finally here...the story of the week. Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. We bring you - CryptoKitties. Sims for Bitcoin. We explore why oh why one special CryptoKittie sold for $117,000. One hundred and seventeen. Thousand. US dollars. But please, don't fork your kitties. And how is "a silly game about cats" accounting for 17% of the Ethereum network? We also consider the more serious implications, including why the ERC721 contracts are going to displace Ethereum ICOs in 2017. This week we are delighted to bring you an interview with R3 CEO David Rutter. Simon and David talk about blockchain's arrival, the joys of gardening leave and R3's journey from start up to leading blockchain firm. They also discuss the development of R3's platform, Corda, and their work with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on Project Ubin. We hear about the significance of anti-trust law, going through Series A fundraising and the advantages of being a network business. Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guest: David Rutter. Links: Looking Heavy? Bitcoin Eyes Correction After New High - CoinDesk Bitcoin exchange Coinbase has more users than stock brokerage Schwab Coinbase ordered to report 14,355 users to the IRS CME Group to Launch Bitcoin Futures Contract & Bitcoin Hits An All Time High In Response 5 Essential Blockchain Predictions That Will Define 2018 Government of Bermuda Launches Cryptocurrency Task Force Swiss Central Banker: Bitcoin 'More Investment Than Currency' 'Flash crash' on Bitfinex leaves crypto traders angry 'Flash crash' on Bitfinex leaves crypto traders angry The ethereum world is now obsessed with breeding cartoon cats The ethereum world is now obsessed with breeding cartoon cats More Devs, More Destruction: Another Zcash Crypto Ceremony Is Underway The battle against deadly fake goods goes hi-tech

This week, normal service is resumed as we returned, inexorably, to ANOTHER new Bitcoin high - this time, over $9,000 and, according to many, fast approaching $10,000. So is it just the result of more buyers than sellers in the market, or could there be other reasons? Plus, why maths might mean Bitcoin could reach $100,000 by 2021. Bonds on Ether! Nivaura has issued the UK's first regulated Ether bond. But what will be the impact on CSDs? Following a spate of rogue ICOs, we discuss the possibility that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) will crack down, and more fool the first ICO to fall foul of the DoJ as they might be looking to set an example. Non-financial blockchain applications are coming. But will it succeed in blockchain-based air travel? Several airlines have partnered up to try to use DLT to iron out some of the bumps in air travel with luggage. Plus, how to talk about cryptocurrency at the dinner table, and Ripple did a thing...again. This week we also bring you two special features. Firstly, a roundtable on the ICO space with Ruth Wandhofer, Global Head Regulatory, Market & Innovation Strategy at Citibank; Jeff Bandman, Principal at Bandman Advisors; Lawrence Wintermeyer, Principal at Capstone; and Oliver Oram, founder and CEO at Chainvine. And second, Simon talks to very special guest Commissioner Brian Quintenz from the CFTC about the derivatives markets and the potential impact of distributed ledger technology (DLT). Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guests: Brian Quintenz, Jeff Bandman, Lawrence Wintermeyer, and Oliver Oram.

Welcome to an unusual show for us in recent weeks, as a new bitcoin high doesn't feature as our lead story! Getting us off the mark, the guys explore the new Bitcoin futures option from LedgerX priced at $10,000. Why did someone buy it, and could we be buying too? Next up, SegWit2x is back in the news, but having been called off last week, how has it caused some nodes to stumble? And our story of the week - the CME Group has announced that it'll launch Bitcoin futures. So does this represent Wall Street advancing on Bitcoin, or is it bringing crypto ever-closer to the mainstream? Answers on a postcard, please do let us know what you think @colingplatt or @sytaylor.] WTF Colin G Platt? Could your next trip to the cinema feature a blockbuster funded by crypto? If everything goes to plan for one Hollywood producer, then absolutely! So, will Hollywood become the next industry to be disrupted by DLT? And R3 founder and CEO David Rutter has spoken about why 2018 is a key year for him, and what it'll take to make it a success. So what do the guys think? We also bring you a roundtable on the state of blockchain recorded live at the ConsenSys launch part in Shoreditch, London, featuring Alex Batlin and Ed Budd from ConsenSys, Lawrence Lundy from Outlier Ventures, and Charlene Chen from BitPesa. The guys discuss where we are with distributed ledger technology (DLT), the impact it's had on financial services and where it's heading. Simon also caught up with Jeremy Millar about ConsenSys' plans for growth and their move to London. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guests: Alex Batlin, Charlene Chen, Ed Budd, Jeremy Millar, and Lawrence Lundy. Links: First Long-Term LedgerX Bitcoin Option Pegs Price at $10,000 No Fork, No Fire: Segwit2x Nodes Stall Running Abandoned Bitcoin Code Coming Soon: Bitcoin Futures How the CME (un)intentionally weighed in on chain splits FUD on All Sides: In Defense of CME's Bitcoin Plan Hollywood Hitmaker Plans to Fund Next Blockbuster With Crypto R3’s CEO: missing full production next year would be "problematic"

The death of SegWit2x - what happened, why and what does it mean for bitcoin? How did $160m Eth get locked up in Parity wallets, and why might a fork be the only way to get it out? One of the greatest comebacks in (DLT) history - how could the former bitcoin king Mt. Gox be back in the money? Plus, a new blockchain-based international payments system from R3 and 22 of the world's biggest banks; Bjork accepting cryptocurrency for new album; a token to cryogenically freeze yourself; and, Grayscale Investments announces the launch of a Zcash investment trust. And we bring you two interviews. First, Simon speaks with Michael Casey, advisor, author, speaker and commentator. Next up, we talk to Daniel Cotti, CFO and Bank Partner Relationship, and David Sutter, Head of Platform Strategy, from TradeIX. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guests: Daniel Cotti, David Sutter, and Michael Casey. Links: Bitcoin is in Wild Upheaval After The Cancellation of Segwit2x | Fortune Confusion and Euphoria As Bitcoin Cash Tops $30 Billion - CoinDesk Ethereum Security Lead: Hard Fork Required to Release Frozen Parity Funds - CoinDesk ICO Funds Among Millions Frozen In Parity Wallets - CoinDesk Former Bitcoin King Is Bankrupt—And He Could Get Rich Again - WSJ Top banks and R3 build blockchain-based payments system | Article [AMP] | Reuters Pop Star Bjork to Accept Cryptocurrency Payments for New Album - CoinDesk Grayscale Investments Announces Launch of the Zcash Investment Trust Cryogen - YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PROLONG LIFE THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE OF CRYONICS TECHNOLOGY. The SAFT Is a Symptom of Regulatory Uncertainty - CoinDesk

First up this week - and what a week - we can confirm that SegWit2x is not going ahead! For more on this story, tune in to next week's episode. In this episode, we focus on the run up to what was nearly the biggest fork of the year. We return to the continuing astronomical rise in bitcoin - up as high as $7,600? So is it a bubble, and does the market need more infrastructure to entice large institutions? In related news, CME Group - the world's largest exchange - have announced that they're going to introduce bitcoin futures. The guys also discuss what SegWit2x will mean (or would have meant?) for the future of bitcoin. And will Bitcoin miners really consume as much electricity as the annual consumption of Nigeria? Is bitcoin really that power consuming or is it actually changing how we consume power? And we talk to Volodymyr Panchenko, founder and CEO of DMarket.io, and Alexander Kokhanovskyy, founder and CEO of DreamTeam, about their fascinating applications of DLT to e-sports. Also on this week's show: why Celebrity ICOs might become illegal; Colin wrote a long thing (derivatives clearing on distributed ledgers); the latest of Alex Tapscott and the NextBlock fund; Colin uses the words "willy-nilly" in a sentence; and much, much more. Don't forget, this episode is sponsored by ZILLA, a new ICO marketplace app. Browse ICOs, upvote or downvote so the good ones rise to the top and, if you like an ICO, participate with one-click! Pre-register for the limited ZILLA beta app at ZLA.io/bi. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guests: Alexander Kokhanovskyy and Volodymyr Panchenko. Links: Bitcoin Hits $7,000 as Wall Street Interest Gets Real - WSJ CME Group Announces Launch of Bitcoin Futures Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein: I'm Open to Bitcoin - CoinDesk Understanding Segwit2x: Why Bitcoin's Next Fork Might Not Mean Free Money - CoinDesk One Bitcoin Transaction Now Uses as Much Energy as Your House in a Week - Motherboard Shell, BP Among Energy Giants to Back Blockchain Trading Platform - CoinDesk SEC: Celebrity ICO Endorsements Could Be Illegal - CoinDesk Alex Tapscott's Crypto VC Firm Going Public With $100M CAD Falsely Touted 4 Blockchain Stars As Advisors CIBC Walks From Tapscott's NextBlock Global After Falsehoods Revealed; More Misrepresentations Found Alex Tapscott's Crypto VC Firm Aborts Public Listing, Will Return Money After Falsehoods Revealed Tezos Faces Class-Action Suit Alleging Unregistered Sale of Securities, False Representations - ETHNews.com Implementing derivatives clearing on distributed ledger technology platforms » Banking Technology World Food Programme's ethereum-based blockchain for Syrian refugees in Jordan — Quartz India’s Largest Bank Goes Big on Blockchain Russia is going all in on bitcoin — and everyone’s got a theory – VICE News DEUTSCHE BANK: End of fiat money - Business Insider ‘If you follow us you will make money’: how bitcoin is marketed to the masses

First up on today's show, Simon and Colin tackle "tulip mania" and other common misconceptions about crypto assets. Bitcoin has hit yet another all time high - but is the price the key figure or should we be focusing on the growth in use and user numbers instead? We also talk boomer biases - send us your favourites. Next up, Iran has announced it is preparing to adopt Bitcoin for use in the country. Will we see a geopolitical shift, and how might it influence Bitcoin's reputation? Why are startups struggling to get bank accounts in the UK? The FCA Sandbox's Lessons Learned report points out that startups, particularly DLT startups, are often can't secure banking services. So is it time for a more nuanced approach by the big banks? Colin analyses the AMF's approach to ICOs, folowing their announcement of project UNICORN. If you missed it, check out Simon's blog on a best practice framework for token sales. And can blockchain revolutionise the coffee supply chain? Colin explains how, with the help of Shoreditch and hipsters. So is this another contrived blockchain application? Or, in an increasingly environmentally-conscious world, where authenticity and provenance are key, is this a real step forward? Breaking - we've unearthed the key to increasing your share price by 400% in one day...add the word Blockchain to your company name! We look at the story of On-Line Blockchain Plc. Also in today's show, Simon talks to Jeff Bandman about testifying to the SEC on Bitcoin and ICOs. And Colin catches up with Stephen Palley on his rather strong thoughts about Tezos. Thanks for listening, we hope you enjoy the show. As ever, don't forget to subscribe, and please do leave us a review on iTunes. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guests: Jeff Bandman and Stephen Palley. Links: Worse Than Tulip Mania? Common Misconceptions About Crypto Assets - CoinDesk Government of Iran Is Preparing to Adopt Bitcoin for Use Inside the Country | Finance Magnates BTC to DLT: Why Aren't Banks Giving Blockchain Startups Accounts? - CoinDesk L’AMF lance une consultation sur les Initial Coin Offerings et initie son programme UNICORN - AMF French Regulator Launches 'UNICORN' ICO Support Project - CoinDesk Bext360: How Blockchain Can Revolutionize Coffee Supply Chain This Company Added the Word ‘Blockchain’ to Its Name and Saw Its Shares Surge 394% - Bloomberg This is the dumbest thing we’ve seen in a long time. When’s the crash? | FT Alphaville Hong Kong, Singapore sign fintech deal, will collaborate on blockchain

First up on this week’s show, Bitcoin keeps marching on, and it seems institutional money is behind its buoyancy. BlackRock, LedgerX, Wall Street - why it’s good news that everyone’s got an opinion on Bitcoin right now. The guys also dissect the Tezos story and ask: is it possible to raise too much money? With speculation that Tezos attracted nearly $300 million under a foundation model in Switzerland, the guys discuss how the situation will unfold. Meanwhile, with news that the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has aligned itself with the SEC in determining that ICOs can be commodities, are we seeing an emerging consensus towards blockchain in the US? Plus, we have a guest appearance from Fintech Insider’s Sam Maule, who caught up with Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, at Swell – Ripple’s payments conference – last week. Also on today’s show – how £11 trillion in derivatives is getting closer to the Blockchain; why Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella challenged Swift to build useful Blockchain applications; R3’s patent application; mining for charity; and much more. We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guest: Brad Garlinghouse. Links: Quiet Surge: Bitcoin Price Sets New High Above $6,000 - CoinDesk BlackRock Strategist: There's No 'Right or Wrong' Price for Bitcoin - CoinDesk LedgerX Trades $1 Million in Bitcoin Derivatives in First Week - CoinDesk Subscribe to read Special Report: Backroom battle imperils $230 million cryptocurrency venture The Path Forward – ArthurB – Medium Refund for the Tezos ICO - Restis Law Firm, P.C. Case » Block & Leviton LLP CFTC Aligns With SEC: ICO Tokens Can Be Commodities - CoinDesk DTCC Milestone: $11 Trillion in Derivatives Gets Closer to the Blockchain - CoinDesk Microsoft CEO Challenges Swift: Build 'Useful' Blockchain Applications - CoinDesk R3 Files Patents for 'Dynamic' DLT Recordkeeping - CoinDesk Donate Your Tab MIT Issues Diplomas Using the Bitcoin Blockchain

This week Bitcoin has gone the the moon! So what's the story behind its new all time high price? And how might the long courtship between Wall Street and Bitcoin have played a part in the story? The guys take a look at the JP Morgan messaging on Bitcoin, including Jamie Dimon's views. We cover news from both Swell and Sibos, the pseudonymous nature of Bitcoin and how SWIFT intend to respond to the changing payments landscape. PLus, how is IBM using cryptocurrency in cross-border payments? Colin explains why open blockchains might be the canary in the coalmine and, while the People's Bank of China Digital Currency Director calls for a centralised state cryptocurrency, Simon asks whether it's really possible to have a true cryptocurrency that's centralised. Plus, what can all this mean for a possible CryptoRuble? We return to the story of the legal battle between R3 and Ripple to find out who's in the ascendancy, and the guys discuss how Digital Asset Holdings intend to use the $40m series B funding they raised recently. And of course, we also revisit Segwit2x for an update on its progress, and discuss Ethereum's own Byznatium fork. Plus, interviews with Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director of the Hyperledger Project within the Linux Foundation, and Paul Worrall, founder of Zonafide. We hope you enjoy the show - don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Want to join the conversation on all the topics discussed? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or read more about the news stories and add your own thoughts at fintechinsidernews.com. And if you really love the show, why not leave us a review on iTunes? Special Guests: Brian Behlendorf and Paul Worrall. Sponsored By: Links: $5,800: Bitcoin Price Hits New Record High - CoinDesk This Is the Week Wall Street Went Nuts Over Cryptocurrencies - Bloomberg JPMorgan's Dimon betting on blockchain even as he calls bitcoin stupid JPMorgan CFO dials back Dimon's bitcoin criticism | Article [AMP] | Reuters Bernanke at Ripple Event: Blockchain Has 'Obvious' Benefits in Payments - CoinDesk Sibos Highlights Swift's Complicated Relationship With Blockchain - CoinDesk IBM's Stellar Move: Tech Giant Uses Cryptocurrency in Cross-Border Payments - CoinDesk PBoC Digital Currency Director Calls for Centralized State Cryptocurrency - CoinDesk Russia may soon issue its own official blockchain-based currency, the CryptoRuble | TechCrunch R3 And Ripple’s Legal Battle To Move To San Francisco And New York - ETHNews.com Digital Asset raises $40M for its blockchain-based financial platform - SiliconANGLE BitGo is a weird company : Bitcoin (1) Jameson Lopp on Twitter: "Dear anonymous coward who just sent dozens of cops w/ rifles to my house w/a false hostage situation report: I am not so easily intimidated." SegWit2x NYA Status Coin Dance | SegWit2x Blocks (historical) Summary Are Public Blockchain Systems Unlicensed Money Services Businesses in Disguise? – Rules of the Game Ethereum Executes Byzantium Blockchain Software Upgrade - CoinDesk A house has been bought on the blockchain for the first time | New Scientist Someone Just Lost $70,000 in a Failed ICO Purchase Attempt New cryptocurrency finds unlikely fan in Harry Redknapp | Technology | The Guardian

This week Simon and Colin crunch through all the week's top news. Why's everyone talking about SegWit2x, when will it happen and what does it mean for the future of bitcoin? Switzerland looks set to remain 'crypto valley' with talk of a code of conduct for ICOs. The guys talk security in bitcoin exchanges and why "those regulators gonna regulate". And with news that HMRC has built a blockchain proof of concept for the UK border, we discuss whether this is an efficiency no-brainer, or the precursor to a dystopian, crypto-enabled future. The database giant Oracle has unveiled its enterprise blockchain platform, but will this solution cannibalise its existing business? We also hear from Scott Nelson at Sweetbridge on expanding the definition of liquidity, and Abasa Phillips from Zilla to tell us about their new platform to invest in ICOs. And finally, wtf - what the Fetchcoin?! Whether its brilliantly conceived satire or a credible venture, you decide - let us know what you think! We hope you enjoy the show and, as ever, don't forget to subscribe. Missing out on the conversation? Tweet the show @bchaininsider or to read more about the news stories and have your say visit fintechinsidernews.com. Special Guests: Abasa Phillips and Scott Nelson. Links: Bitcoin.org Operators Aim to 'Denounce' Segwit2x Participants - Bitcoin News ICO Central: Why Switzerland Will Remain Crypto Valley - CoinDesk ADGM | ABU DHABI GLOBAL MARKET SETS OUT GUIDANCE ON INITIAL COIN OFFERINGS AND VIRTUAL CURRENCIES Chaos and hackers stalk investors on cryptocurrency exchanges HMRC builds blockchain proof of concept for UK border Oracle's Entrance: Database Giant Unveils Enterprise Blockchain Strategy - CoinDesk Fetch Coins — Secure Blockchain Startup Circle To Launch Open Source Project To Send Money Like Email And Text Dragonchain ICO Seeks to Commercialize Disney’s Blockchain Project - CryptoCoinsNews Uncensorable Wikipedia on IPFS Gamifying the Delivery of Money – Hacker Noon