US Government Says Apple is NOT in Violation of Antitrust Law

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has stated it will not take action against Apple for its recent decision to ban bitcoin apps.The announcement comes amid a growing furore among bitcoin users, who were outraged by Apple’s decision to remove the official Blockchain app from its App Store earlier this week.The DOJ stated:Continue reading at CoinDesk February 08, 2014 at 11:2...

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Minecraft’s Law Firm to Start Accepting Bitcoin Payments

Top-tier media and entertainment law firm Sheridans has announced that it will begin taking payment in bitcoin. The firm currently has about a dozen clients in the bitcoin economy, said Eitan Jankelewitz, a technology lawyer in the firm who promoted the initiative internally.“[Accepting bitcoin] is driven by an understanding at Sheridans that there’s no reason not to. I don’t see any reason for a retailer, or a service provider like us, not to accept...

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Cryptographic Code Obfuscation: Decentralized Autonomous Organizations Are About to Take a Huge Leap Forward

There have been a number of very interesting developments in cryptography in the past few years. Satoshi’s blockchain notwithstanding, perhaps the first major breakthrough after blinding and zero-knowledge proofs is fully homomorphic encryption, a technology which allows you to upload your data onto a server in an encrypted form so that the server can then perform calculations on it and send you back the results all without having any idea what...

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Why Lower Bitcoin Price Volatility is No Panacea

Prior to the nearly 20% pullback in bitcoin’s price we’ve witnessed in the last 24-hours, there had been a fair amount of digital ink spilled suggesting that bitcoin’s price volatility may be decreasing.Rob Wile of Business Insider , Alex Wilhelm of TechCrunch , and Timothy B. Lee of the venerable Washington Post all wrote pieces over the last week suggesting that bitcoin is becoming less volatile.Before addressing the question of whether bitcoin...

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In the Midst of Winter, Bitcoin is Heating Up New York City

If you want to experience Bitcoin unlike any other, take a step into the newly formed Bitcoin Center NYC. A block from the New York Stock Exchange, Bitcoin Center creates a lively approach to buying and selling Bitcoin in an area that has since been silent with the excitement of live trading. Each Monday, the floor comes alive with the sound of traders exchanging Bitcoin and other digital currencies.Infamously named “Satoshi Square,” which originally...

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Apple Sours on Bitcoin, Corner Shop Conundrum, and the Stolen Good

Apple makes fans close wallets There is nothing like a holy war to get the pulse going, and there’s no holy war as satisfying to watch as one where the two combatants are virtually identical.Take Apple versus Android. More virtual blood has been spilled online by mouth-frothing, crazy-eyed barbarians over this little tiff than the great Mac versus Windows global conflict.Continue reading at CoinDesk February 07, 2014 at 10:4...

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MtGox

Today MtGox – one of the biggest exchanges – published a press release stating that they’re temporarily pausing Bitcoin withdrawals.For more news you’ll probably have to wait until Monday, February 10, 2014:Our team will resolve this problem as soon as possible and will provide an update on Monday, February 10, 2014 (JST). I didn’t endorse MtGox in public, but that’s mainly because they’ve been in control of the vast majority of the Bitcoin market...

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Silk Road Accused Ulbricht Pleads Not Guilty, Begins Long Defense

Ross Ulbricht, the Texas native arrested in San Francisco last October in relation to the Silk Road online black marketplace, has entered a formal plea of ‘not guilty’ to all charges.The indictment hearing for the man accused of being the site’s ‘Dread Pirate Roberts’ comes after more than 120 days in detention and interestingly, did not include any of the (up to) six alleged attempts to murder Silk Road cohorts by contract, none of which resulted...

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BTC-e Pulls Support for Ruble As Russia Bans Bitcoin

Bulgarian bitcoin exchange BTC-e has pulled support for the ruble, following a decision by the Russian Prosecutor’s Office to ban bitcoin.A statement issued by Russia’s General Prosecutor’s Office said that it saw growing interest in the cryptocurrency, including from money launderers.“The official Russian currency is the ruble. The use of any other monetary instruments or surrogates is forbidden,” it said, citing Russian Article 27 of Russia’s Federal...

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Localbitcoins.com Users Face Criminal Charges in Florida

At least two men in Florida have been charged for moving large volumes of bitcoins via OTC exchange localbitcoins.com. They were charged under state anti-money-laundering laws following an investigation by the US Secret Service, said reports.Security blogger Brian Krebs reported that Michell Abner Espinoza of Miami Beach was arrested after a sting in which an undercover agent engaged him in a fake transaction to convert $30,000 worth of cash into...

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Introducing the UltraCoin Cryptocurrency Composite Index

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The Reverse Merger as a Shortcut to a Publicly-Traded Bitcoin Vehicle

Attempts to build an asset offering financial exposure to bitcoin for the average investor has interested global entrepreneurs for years, yet an SEC-registered product that can be traded easily from a standard portfolio remains to be seen. Given the regulatory scrutiny such an instrument would be subject to, the most efficient way to access public markets with a bitcoin asset may be a known subversion of the standard issuance process: the reverse...

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Acquiring Bitcoins

1.CoinbaseCoinbase is not just a place to buy and sell Bitcoins, but you can also use them as an online wallet - or, if you own a company you can use their tools to accept Bitcoin payments.+ Android app available+ All-in-one solution for acquiring, using and accepting Bitcoin- U.S. bank accounts only- Credit card (Visa) required if you want to buy or sell more than $3,000 per day2.CampBXCampBX is a Bitcoin trading platform without merchant tools, but advanced trading options (Margin trading, Stop-Loss orders, etc.).+ Advanced trading options- Only...

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KnCMiner Offers ‘Plan B’ in Case of Neptune Miner Delivery Delay

One of the leaders in the bitcoin mining hardware market is planning contingencies for its future product lineup in case of delay.KnCMiner, a Stockholm-based bitcoin mining hardware company, has introduced a new program for its customers – Plan B.Plan B will help compensate for possible setbacks in the shipment of the company’s new 20nm chip miner, due out later this year.Continue reading at CoinDesk February 07, 2014 at 01:2...

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Leading UK Computer Retailer ‘Scan’ Accepts Bitcoin

Scan Computers has started accepting bitcoin payments, making it the first major PC retailer to accept the cryptocurrency in the UK.Scan is a bit more than your average PC retailer. It is a big player in the channel, it is one of the biggest sellers of high-end computers in the UK and it builds a range of pre-overlocked rigs for enthusiasts.A crypto love affairSince it caters to a geeky user base, Scan quickly recognized that digital currency was...

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Title: Satoshi NakamotoArtist: Michał Cander (Poland)Size:...

Title: Satoshi NakamotoArtist: Michał Cander (Poland)Size: 65x80cm (25.6x31.5in)Type: Oil on canvasSource: michalcander.pl February 02, 2014 at 12:1...

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Fits and Startups

Everyone in the bitcoin community is understandably irate at Apple right now.Many of us have spent thousands of dollars on Apple products, some have spent hundreds of hours developing iOS apps and millions of current and future bitcoin users will be negatively impacted by Apple’s de facto ban on all things bitcoin.Still, things have a way of working themselves out, and if bitcoin is as indestructible as many in the community say, the tech giant’s...

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Coinbase and Mint Announce First Bitcoin Personal Finance Integration

Coinbase and Mint Announce First Bitcoin Personal Finance Integration:coinbase:Today we’re excited to announce a new partnership with Mint , the leading personal finance app from Intuit Inc. Now Mint users will be able to view their digital bitcoin transactions processed by Coinbase alongside their traditional financial accounts. As you may know, Mint… February 01, 2014 at 07:5...

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I just made a donation

Head over to http://t.co/C28LU4ISYx and check out their BTC micropayment experiment via @BitWall @Suntimes! #bitcoin http://ift.tt/1fKDMsd — Blockchain.info (@blockchain) February 1, 2014 February 01, 2014 at 07:4...

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Mt. Gox Halts ALL Bitcoin Withdrawals, Price Drop Follows

Japan-based bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox, the third-largest for trading the US dollar for bitcoin by 30-day volume, has announced it is temporarily pausing bitcoin withdrawals.The company has released a statement on its website that says the following:Dear MtGox Customers,Continue reading at CoinDesk February 07, 2014 at 07:4...

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CoinPool Combines a Bitcoin Directory With Free Classifieds and a Calendar

Calling itself the “first exclusive bitcoin portal,” CoinPool.com features a directory of businesses who accept bitcoin, sorted into over 100 categories and a marketplace where users can purchase items with bitcoin. Bitpay.com currently offers a bitcoin business directory, which boasts a search function and categories. Listings come with just one photo, a short blurb and a link to the merchant’s website. Bitcoinyellowpages.com is another good resource....

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Washington Dispensary Now Takes Bitcoin for Cannabis

Silk Road may be dead, but in at least one Washington State city, people can still buy marijuana and related products using bitcoin.Medical marijuana dispensary Kouchlock Productions, which opened on Monday February 3, began accepting bitcoin for its wares this week. The dispensary, based in Spokane, is said to already have sold the drug in several bitcoin transactions.In Washington State, medical dispensaries were legalized in 1998, under initiative...

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Watch this Bitcoin Fanatic Shoot His iPhone After Apple Blacklists Blockchain

Infuriated by Apple’s sudden move to ban bitcoin wallet provider Blockchain from its App stores on Wednesday, the bitcoin community flocked to reddit on 6th February in a spirited and controversial showing of support for the virtual currency.Reddit posts abounded decrying Apple’s move as an anti-competitive maneuver that positions the Cupertino company against innovation and its core values.However, there may be no more dedicated bitcoin supporter...

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You Can Now Pay Cash For Bitcoin at 28,000 UK Stores

Bitcoiners can now pay cash for bitcoins at 28,000 shops across the UK, thanks to a new service set up by ZipZap.Full article February 06, 2014 at 05:4...

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Venture Capitalists and Bitcoin Companies React to Apple’s Blockchain Ban

News that Apple had pulled the Blockchain.info app from its App Store broke in the early hours of this morning (UK-time) and the short-term effect seemed to be a dip in the price of bitcoin.At midnight (GMT), the price was $822. Some 15 minutes later, Blockchain tweeted its response to Apple’s decision and, over the course of the next hour, the bitcoin price fell to $793. By 08:30, the price had fallen to $783.04, the lowest it has been since 2nd...

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Does Your Favorite Team Accept Bitcoin?

The countdown to March 1 has begun for basketball fans everywhere. This is not March Madness in the usual sense, but instead is a huge day for Bitcoin. We are a few short weeks from witnessing an NBA first: the Sacramento Kings accepting Bitcoin.The announcement made just weeks ago will mark the first professional sports team to accept Bitcoin. Beginning March 1, the Sacramento Kings will accept Bitcoin for online ticket and merchandise payments,...

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You Can Now Pay Cash For Bitcoin at 28,000 UK Stores

Bitcoiners can now pay cash for bitcoins at 28,000 shops across the UK, thanks to a new service set up by ZipZap.The service enables people to head to their nearest ZipZap payment location, hand over cash and see bitcoins deposited in their wallets almost instantly.Currently available via Bittylicious, BuyBitcoin.sg and BIPS Market, the service will go live with ANXBTC and ANXPRO next week, followed by Kraken, CoinMKT and Goobit.se.Continue reading...

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Latin American Exec: Employees Could Earn 5% More with Bitcoin

Bitcoin’s potential to cut credit and debit transaction fees and exchange rate costs is often seen as its biggest advantage to international businesses.However, to entrepreneurs in developing countries the virtual currency represents an even greater opportunity: the end to costly trade restrictions that inhibit their profits and ability to compete.Ulf Kuhn, founder of Chile-based telemarketing business Telemarketing Facil, has learned this lesson...

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Mazacoin Aims to be Sovereign Altcoin for Native Americans

Iceland may be the first nation to get its own cryptocurrency, but if Payu Harris has his way, it won’t be the last. This week, he hopes to mine the genesis block for mazacoin, an altcoin for the native American nation in the US.Specifically designed for the Traditional Lakota Nation, mazacoin is initially being targeted at the Oglala Lakota Nation, which is Harris’ own tribe. He works at Kimitsu Asset Management, which is focused on creating a bitcoin-based...

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Apple Inc. Bans Blockchain Wallet.

On Wednesday February 5th Apple inc. launched a fresh skirmish against Bitcoin. Blockchain’s wallet was removed from the App store.This is the latest in an ongoing war waged by the Apple Corporation against Bitcoin users. Blockchain’s wallet was, for quite some time, all that remained. Leading innovators Coinbase, Gliph, and CoinJar were booted some time ago.Apple Inc. benefited from an unprecedent corporate revival in the late nineties. The company...

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