Cryptocoin exchange Kraken announced today that it was putting a temporary halt on transactions in the U.S. dollar, and offering a 2% bonus to users who switch their existing balances to euros. Speaking with CoinDesk, a Kraken customer support representative explained the decision as the result of slow and delayed USD withdrawals. According to Kraken’s…
There has been very little information to come from Mt.Gox in recent weeks, and what details have emerged from the troubled exchange have generally come in the form of leaks or unconfirmed reports. While there have been occasional, fragmentary reports from Mt.Gox CEO Mark Karpeles, they’ve offered little insight into the situation at Mt.Gox. Today’s…
Speaking with the Cyprus Mail, a representative of the Central Bank of Cyprus confirmed that Bitcoin is perfectly legal in the country. “Bitcoin is not illegal, but at the same time neither is it subject to control or regulation,” said an unnamed spokesperson for the central bank. The timing of the confirmation is key, as…
When the FBI took down the original Silk Road operation last October, it also seized 29,655 Bitcoin from the site. At peak prices, the seized coins were worth $35.5 million, but thanks to the volatility of the current market, they’re currently worth less than half that amount. Last month, the US Attorney’s Office of the…
Bitcoin margin-trading platform BTC.sx announced today that it was suspending all services “until further notice” following the apparent shutdown of trading partner Mt.Gox. The UK and Singapore-based company made the announcement to customers via email. The email claims that all BTC.sx customer funds are secure, and that the company will honor all withdrawal requests and…
Online illiquid asset marketplace SecondMarket recently announced plans to launch a dedicated Bitcoin exchange. The New York-based company has long traded in products like private company stocks and auction‐rate securities, but in recent months has been developing a strong virtual currency division. The new exchange would spin out this 11-member team and other assets into…
IT security company Trustwave claims that at least $220,000 in Bitcoin and other virtual currencies has been stolen from digital wallets through the Pony botnet. In a blog posted yesterday, the Chicago-based security services provider claims the Trojan virus-based attacks can steal funds from over 30 types of wallets. According to our data, the cyber…
Last night, Tokyo-based Bitcoin exchange Mt.Gox went offline, feeding rumors that the troubled company was planning to announce bankruptcy. Shortly after the site went down, a document titled “Crisis Strategy Draft” surfaced on Bitcoin forums, seemingly originating from Mt.Gox. The document claims that 744,400 BTC (roughly $350 million) were stolen from the site by hackers…
According to a report published on Cryptocoins News, Spain will go from having one lone Bitcoin ATM in a Barcelona mall to having over 100 throughout the country. The ambitious plan is collaboration between ATM manufacturer PayMaQ and distributor Bbank, who aim to take advantage of Spain’s current lack of Bitcoin regulation. Under Spain’s current…
In a report published earlier today on ZDNet, a representative from the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac) confirmed that the Australian government are tracking every visible conversion of Bitcoin into and out of Australian dollars (AUD). The anti-money laundering agency’s CEO, John Schmidt, made the statement while giving a statement before Australia’s Senate…