Wednesday, June 12, 2019

📌 Facebook's 'Libra,' AT&T Accepts Crypto, and the Real Satoshi Nakamoto?

MUST READS

Facebook Will Reportedly Announce Cryptocurrency this Month

Facebook is finally ready to reveal details about its cryptocurrency codenamed Libra. It's currently scheduled for a June 18th release of a white paper explaining its cryptocurrency's basics. Employees of Facebook will reportedly have the option to be paid in its native cryptocurrency as well.

Based on all the rumblings made by people tied to the project... Caitlin Long gives us six solid (and somewhat controversial) predictions on what will follow.

AT&T Teams with BitPay to Accept Bill Payments in Crypto

AT&T's Death Star logo may have really been a moon after all, with the telecom giant announcing Thursday that it will accept bill payments in the form of crypto by way of BitPay.

As it stands, the crypto option isn't being extended to other AT&T services, such as buying phones or other devices, and as of yet BitPay won't work in AT&T's storefronts. That said, the company noted in a statement that its customers use cryptocurrency and that the new offering is intended to give them their preferable option.

DEEP DIVE

Bitcoin Mining Migrating from China to the United States

Squire Mining (SQRMF), a publicly traded Canadian blockchain company—and one of the largest miners in the world by hashpower—signed a letter of intent to host over 41,000 Bitcoin (SHA-256) ASICs to the United States.

These are signs that Bitcoin mining is beginning to gain a foothold in the United States – a win for the decentralization of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Why ICOs are Broken

ICOs, also known as utility tokens, have dominated the cryptocurrency industry for the past three years. They've been credited with Ethereum's growth, a new financing model... and a gateway to a decentralized future. But what are utility tokens, really? Economically, what do they do and what value do they add?

The Latest in Crypto Research [Charts]

Crypto might not have Mary Meeker's annual Internet Trends report, but we have something much better: researchers who don't wait a year but share insights monthly, weekly, and daily.

Our friend Nathaniel Whittemore collected 20 slides of charts & goodies about the latest in BTC & crypto. Some we've already covered, but they're still great to read as a refresher.

REGULATORY FRONT

🇮🇳 India's Draft Bill Proposes a 10-Year Jail Sentence for Using Cryptocurrencies

According to Bloomberg Quint, India has proposed a draft bill banning cryptocurrency trading, which could impose severe criminal penalties for violations.

While seemingly harsh, let's not forget India's resiliency in the crypto space.