Speaking on the Free Talk Live podcast from the Porcupine Freedom Festival in New Hampshire, Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne discussed a wide range of bitcoin-related topics, including plans to create an incentive program to encourage his company’s employees and vendors to use bitcoin. “We are going to be bringing online system that let us pay…
The European Banking Authority (EBA) released a report today strongly recommending that banks and other financial institutions hold off on any direct investment in bitcoin or other cryptocurrency until regulators develop stronger protections for their use. The EBA identified a list of 70 risks associated with digital currency, including well-known concerns such as fraud, money…
If there’s one thing Circle‘s team understands, it’s building anticipation. With a product that promises near-instant bitcoin “deposits” and “withdrawals” directly from bank accounts and credit cards, and free access to those funds anywhere in the world, Circle certainly looks like a viable contender for a mainstream appeal. When the company presented a demo version…
The Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust has spent almost exactly one year slogging through the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approval system, with multiple amendments to their filing along the way. In their most recent filing, the Winklevoss twins updated their plans for their bitcoin-backed exchange-traded fund (ETF) with what the Wall Street Journal deemed “minor tweaks”…
This morning, Coinbase unveiled a product called “The Vault.” As the name implies, the service adds a wealth of options for customers looking for long-term, high-security bitcoin storage solutions. Using a similar interface to Coinbase’s popular online wallet, Vault accounts allow for timed-locked withdrawals, multiple withdrawal approvals. Unlike Coinbase’s current simple two-factor-authentication user-verification system, Vault…
The Wall Street Journal reports today that Russia’s longstanding hostility to bitcoin may be easing. The paper reports that the Bank of Russia has altered its policies, and will no longer restrict the use of virtual currencies. Earlier this year, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office declared bitcoin to be an illegal form of currency, and…
Earlier today, venture capitalist and angel investor Tim Draper announced that he was the sole winner of the nearly 30,000 BTC auction of bitcoins seized from the Silk Road. Draper’s firm, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, is extremely well known in investment circles, backing high-profile projects like Skype, Hotmail and Tesla Motors long before they were known…
In a brief email sent to media outlets and interested parties, the U.S. Marshal Service announced this afternoon that all 29,656 bitcoin being auctioned off had been awarded to a single buyer. “The US Marshals Bitcoin auction resulted in one winning bidder. The transfer of the bitcoins to the winner was completed today.” Neither the…
Online technology retailer Newegg joined the ranks of bitcoin-accepting businesses today, adding payment support to their shopping card and announcing the new option on their homepage. With $2.8 billion in annual revenue, Newegg is nearly twice as large as bitcoin-friendly online retailer Overstock.com, and is generally thought to have greater sales volume than rival tech…
Representatives from the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed new details about the auction to CoinDesk, adding fuel to the fire of speculation about the results. The agency said that a total of 45 registered bidders participated in the auction, and that 63 bids were placed on the nearly 30,000 BTC seized from the Silk Road black…