Bitcoin

Belgium’s finance minister has no objection to bitcoin

"Minister of finance Koen Geens responded to a parliamentary question about bitcoin, commenting that he wouldn’t see the Belgian National bank having any objection to bitcoin, and stating that for the moment its use is limited to a handful of traders. Geens reportedly added that although privacy and anonymity were a big part of bitcoin, there was no indication that the cryptocurrency is used on a large scale for money laundering. Any exchange of large amounts of bitcoin would be detected by the financial control systems, he argued. Germany made its own advances in this area last month, when its own finance ministry officially recognized bitcoin as private money." Continue reading →

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How Bitcoin Is Blossoming in Germany

"'In our neighborhood there are a few dozens of bitcoin-accepting businesses by now and a bitcoin-based economic cycle starts to develop,' says Joerg Platzer, owner of Room77 and principal of the Crypto Economics Consulting Group in Berlin. 'I do not have to change the bitcoins we take in back into euro. I can pay my beer supplier, my printer and other goods and services with it already. We call it our 'alternative local currency with global reach.'' In Switzerland, Matonis says Bitcoin is being considered for a three-digit ISO currency code (XBT)—a code that most online currency conversion tools already utilize." Continue reading →

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Why Cash Costs the U.S. Economy Real Money

"With all the buzz about Bitcoin, PayPal (EBAY), Google Wallet (GOOG), and all the other innovations in digital currencies, it’s easy to forget that cash remains remarkably resilient. In part, that’s because the cost of using it is often hidden to the users themselves. Chakravorti, along with co-author Benjamin Mazzotta, says that’s especially true for those who don’t even have a bank account. The unbanked are four times more likely to pay fees to get their own money, yet are also more likely to trust cash and feel comfortable carrying around large amounts." Continue reading →

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How eBay Could Rescue Bitcoin From the Feds

"There’s another operation that runs both a marketplace where Bitcoins are bought and sold and a fully compliant money-transmitting business that, observers say, could rescue Bitcoin from its biggest problem. That company is eBay, and the money transmitter is its well-known subsidiary, PayPal. Last week, the company posted a Bitcoin explainer to one of its blogs, and it recently added a new 'Virtual Currencies' section to its online marketplace, not too far down the page from 'Hobo Nickels.' Hours after we asked eBay about it, the section was removed, and when we asked Ramirez to explain why, she said she’d look into it and then stopped answering our messages." Continue reading →

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If You’re Still Unimpressed With Bitcoin Wait Until You See This ATM

"Where Bitcoin likely feels intractable for some, RoboCoin brings it into the physical world. Suddenly we're dealing with Bitcoin right in front of us in terms that we understand – it's just like any ATM you've used a thousand times before. It builds a bridge between digital and physical currency. The first RoboCoin kiosk will open later this year in Vancouver and will spread quickly thereafter, according to the plan. CEO Jordan Kelley tells us there's already plenty of interest. Check out the video below to see what a sample transaction looks like." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIf You’re Still Unimpressed With Bitcoin Wait Until You See This ATM

What do influential people think about bitcoin?

"Just like any other movement, bitcoin needs people who can be symbolic leaders. Specific examples are people like Gavin Andresen, bitcoin’s chief scientist, who works as the lead developer on the Bitcoin protocol. Another one is Patrick Murck, the Bitcoin Foundation’s general counsel, who has been busy helping to forge a path forward for regulatory compliance. These are people that are well qualified for their specific duties. Yet bitcoin needs influencers beyond that. It needs global leaders outside of cryptocurrency circles and people of some renown to speak out about it. So who has done this? Let’s take a look." Continue reading →

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Vancouver to see first Bitcoin ATMs installed

"According to The Canadian Press, Vancouver-based Bitcoiniacs is one of the first to pre-order five US$20,000 RoboCoin Bitcoin ATMs. The ATMs work by asking the user for a Bitcoin wallet identifier, usually in the form of a QR barcode. Money is then deposited into the machine, and after deducting a nominal transaction fee, the wallet is credited in Bitcoin. Bitcoiniacs' brick-and-mortar shop already deals with cash to Bitcoin transfers, but so far requires appointments to be booked to conduct such transactions. RoboCoin is competing directly with New Hampshire entrepreneurs Zach Harvey and Matt Whitlock, who are already accepting pre-orders for their own $5,000 Bitcoin ATM." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVancouver to see first Bitcoin ATMs installed

Vancouver to see first Bitcoin ATMs installed

"According to The Canadian Press, Vancouver-based Bitcoiniacs is one of the first to pre-order five US$20,000 RoboCoin Bitcoin ATMs. The ATMs work by asking the user for a Bitcoin wallet identifier, usually in the form of a QR barcode. Money is then deposited into the machine, and after deducting a nominal transaction fee, the wallet is credited in Bitcoin. Bitcoiniacs' brick-and-mortar shop already deals with cash to Bitcoin transfers, but so far requires appointments to be booked to conduct such transactions. RoboCoin is competing directly with New Hampshire entrepreneurs Zach Harvey and Matt Whitlock, who are already accepting pre-orders for their own $5,000 Bitcoin ATM." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVancouver to see first Bitcoin ATMs installed

Satoshi Forest, Nine-Acre Sanctuary for the Homeless

"The location at 1999 Massachusetts Ave, Pensacola, FL encompasses nine acres of wooded land that will now become, as Jason King describes it, 'a homeless sanctuary, a place where the downtrodden can find respite from the ‘crime’ of being simply being poor.' The property cost $89,000 to purchase, which, King writes, 'for acreage within the developed part of greater Pensacola, is dirt cheap.' The mortgage on the property, valued at $600 per month, will be paid entirely in Bitcoin. Once housing construction is well underway, they also intend to add a large kitchen for preparing food, and then begin organic farming operations which he later intends to expand to aquaculture." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSatoshi Forest, Nine-Acre Sanctuary for the Homeless

Satoshi Forest, Nine-Acre Sanctuary for the Homeless

"The location at 1999 Massachusetts Ave, Pensacola, FL encompasses nine acres of wooded land that will now become, as Jason King describes it, 'a homeless sanctuary, a place where the downtrodden can find respite from the ‘crime’ of being simply being poor.' The property cost $89,000 to purchase, which, King writes, 'for acreage within the developed part of greater Pensacola, is dirt cheap.' The mortgage on the property, valued at $600 per month, will be paid entirely in Bitcoin. Once housing construction is well underway, they also intend to add a large kitchen for preparing food, and then begin organic farming operations which he later intends to expand to aquaculture." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSatoshi Forest, Nine-Acre Sanctuary for the Homeless