Thursday, December 6, 2018

The Mediterranean 7 ⛵️

December 6, 2018

Seven EU Countries Unite in Efforts to Adopt Blockchain Technologies

The 'Mediterranean seven'

Seven European countries have joined forces to facilitate and propel the adoption of blockchain technologies. The group calls themselves the 'Mediterranean seven' and is being led by France and Malta, two countries who have already been very pro-crypto. In addition to the two leaders, the group is rounded out by Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Portugal, and Greece.

The declaration was signed by the member nations on Tuesday in Brussels, Belgium.

The document details the group's vision for how blockchain can revolutionize the way governments and businesses operate. The group praises blockchain for its transparency and efficiency.

An excerpt from the declaration reads:

"We believe that any legislation on Distributed Ledger Technologies should take into account the decentralized nature of such technology and should be based on European fundamental principles and technological neutrality. It should also allow innovation and experimentations in order for the public and private sector to better understand the Distributed Ledger Technologies and to develop usecases"

What this means for crypto

Historically, the 'Mediterranean seven' nations' economies have lagged behind the world's biggest economies like the United States, China, Japan, among others. It seems the group is trying to tap into the potential of blockchain to narrow the economic gap to the biggest economies.

In any market, competition benefits the end consumer. The establishment of the 'Mediterranean seven' to accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology will be positive for the space.

If the world's biggest economies don't want to be left behind when it comes to crypto, they will need to keep pace with the efforts of the new 'Mediterranean seven'.

EXCHANGE

Bitfinex Begins Support for Tether's Rivals

Stablecoin shakeup

In a bid to show the cryptocurrency exchange is "agnostic" to the stablecoins it selects for its platform, Bitfinex has now added support for four major stablecoins outside of Tether (USDT).

The noble move comes as a surprise to many since both Bitfinex and Tether are operated under the same management - a structure that has caused investor backlash previously.

Still, however, Bifinex believes its platform is an "unbiased meeting place" for traders and is moving forward with the plans to list USDC, True USD (TUSD), Paxos (PAX), and Gemini Dollar (GUSD).

Shifting elsewhere

The addition of new stablecoins across exchanges has only contributed to USDT's market share loss. Since October 1st, USDT has lost -34% of its market capitalization as investors shift to other stablecoins.

In the same timeframe, TUSD has boosted its market capitalization +72%, with USDC, PAX, and GUSD all following similar trends.

Nonetheless, Tether still reigns king with its market capitalization standing over 9 times larger than its nearest competitor.

TRADING

2018 Could be Bitcoin's Biggest Yearly Drop on Record

Boom and bust

2017 was a dream for Bitcoin hodlers. Now, nearing one full year since Bitcoin hit its all-time high, Bitcoin may be on track for its worst year - ever.

According to data compiled by CoinDesk, if Bitcoin remains at the current level below $4,000, it would record a 73% loss in 2018.

This poor performance will go down slightly larger than 2014's loss when Bitcoin posted a -57% drop for the year.

INSTITUTION

Meet the Crypto Investment Firm that is Buying Your Panic Sells

Intro to Grayscale

Grayscale is one of the largest, most well-known cryptocurrency investment firms. The firm has a multitude of investment products including single-asset products and diversified products.

Through its products, Grayscale offers accredited investors indirect exposure to the cryptocurrency market through investment trusts. Grayscale retains custody of the actual coins and investors hold the right to a share of the trust.

The firm has been around throughout most of crypto history. Its first product, a Bitcoin trust, was established in 2013.

Buying the entire dip

During the 2018 bear market, Grayscale has been going all in on Bitcoin. The firm has taken advantage of the low prices to accumulate more coins.

According to research from Diar, Grayscale's Bitcoin Investment Trust now owns 203,000 bitcoin which is valued at roughly $826 million today. 203,000 bitcoin is more than 1% of the total supply, making Grayscale the largest institutional investor in Bitcoin.

📚 RECOMMENDED READ

Inheritance Planning for Crypto

Crypto inheritance is an issue that is rarely talked about. However, Just like any other asset, it's important to prepare for unforeseen circumstances to ensure your crypto is never lost or unattainable.

We sat down with Pamela D. Morgan, an expert on the subject, to unfold how you can protect your assets in the event of a crisis.

Learn how you can stay on the safe side.

BITS

But wait, there's more...

🔐 U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase is planning to explore decentralized identity solutions to give consumers more control over their personal data.
👮‍♀️ The U.S. Depertment of Homeland Security is looking to use blockchain to stop forgery.
💻 Over 33% of German institutions believe blockchain will be as impactful as the internet was.

MEME