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Cryptocurrency mining in Kazakhstan is leading to power shortages
Cryptocurrency mining is putting such a strain on Kazakhstan's electrical grid that the country is grappling with power outages.
AMC and Sony will hand out NFTs to 'Spider-Man' advance ticket buyers
AMC and Sony are giving away NFTs to people who buy 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' movie tickets in advance.
US regulators aim for greater legal clarity surrounding cryptocurrency
US banking regulators have shared their cryptocurrency priorities for 2022, including more clarity on the legality of digital assets.
Brave browser now includes a built-in crypto wallet
Brave's desktop browser now includes a crypto wallet — you can make purchases and trades without an extension.
Twitter establishes dedicated crypto division to explore decentralized apps
Dubbed Twitter Crypto, the company describes the division as “a center of excellence for all things blockchain.”
Patreon may let you reward creators with crypto
Patreon is considering policies that would let creators offer crypto coins to fans.
PayPal ups its weekly cryptocurrency buy limit to $100,000
PayPal is increasing its weekly limit on crypto purchasing to $100,000 and scrapping annual limits altogether.
Tesla suspends Bitcoin car purchases citing environmental impact
You can't buy a Tesla with Bitcoin anymore.
Venmo built crypto trading into its payments app
PayPal-owned payments company Venmo is rolling out the ability to buy and sell cryptocurrency to users.
Facebook's cryptocurrency project rebrands as Diem
The name change anticipates a launch in 2021.
Recommended Reading: The CIA-owned company that helped it spy on the world
The intelligence coup of the century Greg Miller, The Washington Post This in-depth report tells the story of Crypto AG, a Switzerland-based company that achieved success for its code-making machines during World War II. The company eventually became a popular manufacturer of encryption machines for countries around the world in the decades that followed. Governments trusted that communications between diplomats, military and spies were being kept secret. What those nations didn't know was that Crypto AG as actually owned by the CIA -- originally in partnership with West German intelligence. What's more, the access allowed the two countries to to rig the tech so they could easily crack any code.
IRS reminds 10,000 taxpayers that cryptocurrency is subject to taxes
By the end of August, an estimated 10,000 taxpayers will receive letters from the IRS warning them that they may owe back taxes on unreported cryptocurrency earnings. While it might not be immediately obvious, you must include cryptocurrency earnings when you file federal taxes. As with tax evasion for traditional currency, anyone convicted of evading crypto taxes could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Facebook's Calibra cryptocurrency wallet launches in 2020
After months of rumors and speculation, Facebook is finally making its cryptocurrency efforts official. This is Calibra, a digital wallet that will use a new cryptocurrency called Libra. Calibra, which is now a subsidiary of Facebook, is designed to "provide financial services that will enable people to access and participate in the Libra network," a blockchain technology developed by Facebook that's getting support from MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, eBay, Uber, Lyft and Spotify, among others. Facebook says it plans to launch Calibra in 2020, and the service will be available in Messenger and WhatsApp, as well as in a standalone app.
Bitcoin's terrible 2018 doesn't bode well for the future of crypto
If someone approaches you saying that they have a way to get rich, quick, without any effort, then they're scamming you. If you don't believe me, then ask yourself this: If someone gave you a winning lottery ticket, would you hand it over to someone on the street? People get itchy when it comes to paying their taxes, let alone handing out bagfuls of cash on the sidewalk.
Sony tries using blockchain tech for next-gen DRM
Sony announced today that it's jumping on the blockchain bandwagon for digital rights management (DRM), starting with written educational materials under the Sony Global Education arm of the business. This new blockchain system is built on Sony's pre-existing DRM tools, which keep track of the distribution of copyrighted materials, but will have advantages that come with blockchain's inherent security.
Fake Flash updates upgrade software, but install crypto-mining malware
According to cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, it discovered a fake Flash updater that has been duping conscientious computer users since August. The fake updater installs files to sneak a cryptocurrency mining bot called XMRig, which mines for Monero. But here's the catch, while the fake updater is installing the XMRig malware, it's also updating the user's Flash.
Apple bans cryptocurrency mining from its app stores
Cryptocurrency mining in apps has become such a big deal, Apple updated its app guidelines to make sure that developers don't sneak the function into any apps within the company's ecosystem. The update to the rules apparently occurred last week, possibly in response to popular Mac app Calendar 2 that bundled a Monero miner in with its premium upgrade.
I believe in free speech, but Minds makes me queasy
The email landed in my inbox just as the winds of bad press began to whip up around Mark Zuckerberg's ankles. It asked if I wanted to try Minds, the new blockchain-based social network, in the wake of #DeleteFacebook. The site is a social media platform that claims to protect you from data collection, breaches, surveillance, algorithm manipulation and demonetization.
Airfox's mobile wallet aims to replace banks in emerging countries
Mobile wallet applications aren't anything novel, but most of the existing ones (like Venmo or Square Cash) all have something in common: they require people to have a bank account or a debit/credit card to use them. That's where Airfox differentiates itself. The app is geared toward "unbanked" users in emerging markets who may not have a credit history, due to lack of resources or because they're generally not fans of banks. Part of how Airfox plans to succeed is by adopting services that are already offered in certain countries. Like in Brazil, for example, which is the first place the app's launching. There, users can put money in the app through a "Boleto," a popular paper-based payment method that can be loaded by depositing cash in ATMs.
ITT unveils GhostRider encryption device capable of securing US Army smartphones
That may look like a Motorola Atrix Dell Venue, but it's actually something known as the GhostRider -- a new encryption device that could go a long way toward securing the Army's smartphones. Developed by defense company ITT, this revamped handset would allow military personnel to transmit secure text messages and phone calls over the Army's network, even if they're out on the battlefield. All they'd have to do is place their personal phones next to the GhostRider, tap and hold its touchscreen to activate the security features and begin texting away. When another GhostRider user receives an SMS, he or she would have to enter a pass code before reading it. The phone's security mechanisms, meanwhile, have been certified by the cryptographers at the NSA, which would certainly help justify its $1,500 price tag. The handset's display, meanwhile, looks awfully similar to the Army's Nett Warrior platform -- an Android-based OS that features a host of mapping functions designed explicitly for war zones. Officials unveiled the latest incarnation of Nett Warrior at the recent Association of the US Army gala in DC, though the platform's creators are still looking for the appropriate commercial device to host it -- unless, of course, GhostRider's software replaces it altogether. "We think Nett Warrior should be something like this," ITT vice president Richard Takahashi told Wired. "This can be the smart device." March past the break for more information, in ITT's jargon-laced PR. Update: Thanks to readers who spotted it's a Venue rather than an Atrix. Our eyes must have been temporarily scrambled by the enemy. Just to be clear -- it's not the handset that's different, only the peripheral.
