money

Who Needs Bitcoin? Venezuela Has Its ‘Sucre’

"The late Venezuelan president created the sucre, a virtual currency designed to dethrone the dollar as the main trading currency used with his country's regional trading partners: Ecuador, Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua. The sucre is managed by a board of central-bank representatives, which has helped bolster its use. Ecuadorean companies exported $737 million worth of goods to Venezuela using the sucre system in the first nine months of 2013, an 80% increase from the same period in 2012, according to Ecuador's central bank. That growth has drawn attention from the country's regulators, which are cracking down as fraud involving the virtual currency rises." Continue reading →

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‘The Hazards of Lending to Bitcoin Users’

"Creditors are likely more concerned with restricting Bitcoin acquisition or use by borrowers due to the uncertain regulatory landscape, irreversible nature of payments, extreme volatility of value and anonymity of the system. Thus, credit agreements may contain covenants prohibiting borrowers from using or accepting Bitcoin, or operating Bitcoin accounts. In addition, diligence questionnaires and credit agreements may contain representations and warranties that the borrower does not use or accept Bitcoin, nor does the borrower have a Bitcoin wallet. Such provisions are just beginning to appear in credit agreements when use of an emerging payment system is apparent." Continue reading →

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Paul Krugman Is Wrong: Bitcoin Isn’t Evil, But Monetary ‘Stimulus’ Is

"Krugman asserts that bitcoin is evil because it is a 'weapon intended to damage central banking' and makes it harder for states to tax and monitor people. He gets it exactly backwards. A weapon is a tool used to attack someone. But bitcoin users aren’t attacking anyone; they are avoiding an attack. As the tax burden grows heavier, and surveillance intrudes more deeply, it’s reasonable for people to seek shelter. They just want to protect themselves." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPaul Krugman Is Wrong: Bitcoin Isn’t Evil, But Monetary ‘Stimulus’ Is

Belgian card payment network crashes two days after record usage

"Belgium’s card payment network failed on Monday night, leaving millions of Belgians unable to pay at stores or to withdraw cash from ATMs and self-service terminals inside banks. Atos subsidiary Worldline, operator of Belgium’s Bancontact-Mister Cash payment network, reported on its website that it was difficult for cardholders throughout the country to make payments or withdrawals from around 4 p.m. local time on Monday. Local media reported long lines to make cardless withdrawals at bank counters. Worldline put its business continuity plan into effect, and payment traffic began to recover from 5.15 p.m., returning to near-normal levels from 6.30 p.m., the company said in a statement." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBelgian card payment network crashes two days after record usage

Belgian card payment network crashes two days after record usage

"Belgium’s card payment network failed on Monday night, leaving millions of Belgians unable to pay at stores or to withdraw cash from ATMs and self-service terminals inside banks. Atos subsidiary Worldline, operator of Belgium’s Bancontact-Mister Cash payment network, reported on its website that it was difficult for cardholders throughout the country to make payments or withdrawals from around 4 p.m. local time on Monday. Local media reported long lines to make cardless withdrawals at bank counters. Worldline put its business continuity plan into effect, and payment traffic began to recover from 5.15 p.m., returning to near-normal levels from 6.30 p.m., the company said in a statement." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBelgian card payment network crashes two days after record usage

Get Ready for Confiscation

"Once it has sunk in that such a move is perfectly acceptable in Europe, the US will declare its own bail-in policy. Those who still cling to some hope that there may be some good news here, may say, 'Well, at least if I have less than €100,000 on deposit, I can still call that my own.' These folks will be the same ones who are relieved that they are likely to be left out of a 'one-time' wealth tax that is currently being floated as another solution to the exorbitant operating costs of governments. However, any government that steals your money once is likely to have another go at a later date. And another and another. Once they are accepted at all—for any reason—governments tend to repeat them." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGet Ready for Confiscation

Get Ready for Confiscation

"Once it has sunk in that such a move is perfectly acceptable in Europe, the US will declare its own bail-in policy. Those who still cling to some hope that there may be some good news here, may say, 'Well, at least if I have less than €100,000 on deposit, I can still call that my own.' These folks will be the same ones who are relieved that they are likely to be left out of a 'one-time' wealth tax that is currently being floated as another solution to the exorbitant operating costs of governments. However, any government that steals your money once is likely to have another go at a later date. And another and another. Once they are accepted at all—for any reason—governments tend to repeat them." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGet Ready for Confiscation

Former U.S. Mint Director: Bitcoin ‘Likely Here To Stay’

"The next five to 10 years will be critical. But like how the mobile devices, Internet, cable, television, movies, musicals, operas and symphonies all have found their niches, the same will be with currency. Precious metals like silver and gold will co-exist with coins and bills (necessary if the lights go out or cyber attack), checks and money orders, credit and debit cards, online payments and digital currency. This technology has the ability to disrupt the status quo and springboard the global economy into the future. It gets sovereign nations out of the currency manipulation business. It may or may not be Bitcoin or its imitators, but chances are likely that digital currency is here to stay." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFormer U.S. Mint Director: Bitcoin ‘Likely Here To Stay’

Australian Bank Publishes Report ‘Bitcoin to replace AUD?’

"The National Australia Bank (NAB), one of Australia’s ‘Big Four’ banking groups, published a three-page research paper on 19th December titled 'Bitcoin to replace AUD?' (Australian dollars). Despite the provocative title, the paper does not suggest replacing the national currency with bitcoin, nor say it could happen in the near future. Rather, it is an explanation of bitcoin and a comparison of the nature of digital currencies with existing sovereign currencies, and how they fit into the current international financial system. Bitcoin could well become a widely accepted medium of exchange, the paper said, but it would take many more years to achieve mainstream acceptance." Continue reading →

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Bitcoin trading illegal in Iceland according to Icelandic Central bank

"It is prohibited to engage in foreign exchange trading with the electronic currency Bitcoin, according to the Icelandic Foreign Exchange Act. A written response from the Central Bank of Iceland to Morgunblaðið states that the Foreign Exchange Act specifies general restrictions on foreign exchange trading and capital movements between countries. 'It does not appear that the provisions of the Act that exempt goods and services from the aforementioned restrictions can be applied to trading in Bitcoin or that other exemptions from restrictions of the Act apply to such transactions,' the Central Banks's response states." Continue reading →

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