One small step for Central Bank Digital Currencies – Singapore, Canada and Brazil join the mix

Colleagues, we have written extensively about the CBDC initiatives underway in China (PBoC), US (US Federal Reserve) and the UK (Bank of England). More recently Singapore, Canada and Brazil have begun rigorous assessments of the strategic cost-benefit analysis for a sovereign digital asset. The most likely scenario is that one or more nations will launch these CBDCs which will co-exist with their current fiat currencies. The key question among first world countries is not which will be the first to adopt a CBDC, but rather, which one will be successful. Two fundamental challenges which make CBDCs more complex than their cryptocurrency cousins are: 1) Ability to traverse public and private sector ecosystems, and 2) Efficiency in processing trans-border remittances … while providing the highest levels of both security and transparency. When combined these factors will push the limits of Blockchain technology to new heights. Bottom line: The Cryptocurrency Academy stands by our prediction that 2019 will likely be a year of early adopter ‘field trials’ on a limited scale followed by roll-out of the initial CBDCs in the 2020-2012 timeframe. Share a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/)  

Take your Linux programming career to the next level - Kubernetes for Developers (LFD259)

Colleagues, this course from the Linux Foundation will teach you how to containerize, host, deploy, and configure an application in a multi-node cluster. Starting with a simple Python script, you will define application resources and use core primitives to build, monitor and troubleshoot scalable applications in Kubernetes (an open-source container-orchestration system for automating deployment, scaling and management of containerized applications). Working with network plugins, security and cloud storage, you will be exposed to many of the features needed to deploy an application in a production environment. Key topics to be addressed include Containerize and deploy a new Python script, Containerize the deployment with ConfigMaps, Secrets and Security Contexts, Understand multi-container pod design, Configure probes for pod health, Update and roll back an application, Implement services and Network Policies, and Use Persistent Volume Claims for state persistence. Enroll today at  https://tinyurl.com/ya4n9q7c Much success in your career, Lawrence Wilson – Online Learning Center (https://onlinelearningcentral.blogspot.com/)

Can the KingMiner mining malware attack impact crypto assets beyond Monero?

Colleagues, the KingMiner is the latest in a virtual tsunami of crypto mining malware attacks during the past year. First detected by cyber security experts at Check Point Software this malware has the ability to morph once it has penetrated the target host … thus making identification and mitigation much difficult than its predecessors. Check Point reports that KingMiner primarily targets Microsoft SQL and IIS server software for the purpose of mining Monero. While Monero only ranks 12th in market value among cryptocurrencies according to CoinMarketCap, the potential for KingMiner to capture 100% of GPU/CPU power of the targeted system is a real and present danger. Bottom line question: Does KingMiner have the ability to move beyond Monero and move up the cryptocurrency food chain and mine for Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Ethereum and ultimately Bitcoin? We believe this worst-case scenario is highly unlikely. However, given KingMiner’s malicious success the potential for ‘copycat’ malware code with the similar morphing capability remains a serious threat. Share a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

How secure are cryptocurrency software wallets against cyber criminals injecting malicious code?

Colleagues, the on-going debate regarding which type of crypto wallet is more secure continues with no clear consensus – hardware, software, clod-based and paper wallets. This debate has returned to the spotlight given the recent security breach of BitPay’s Copay (software) Wallet. Copay claims its mobile The Copay app securely stores multiple, distinct bitcoin wallets, allowing both business and privacy-conscious users to keep funds carefully separated. GitHub issued a memo to users reporting an  ‘event-stream` dependency attack steals wallets from users of copay. For details take a look at the YCombinator news feed on this attack. The bottom line: For individual digital asset traders software wallets are immensely more convenient than hardware and paper wallets, however, they are far more prone to cyber-attacks – quantum password processing, malware and adware … just to name a few. If you do use a software wallet we highly recommend using any and all security features at both the application and OS levels. The Copay breach reminds us that the cryptocurrencies are no more secure than the weakest link in the crypto ecosystem. Share a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

What impact will ICE’s decision to delay the Bakkt platform launch on Bitcoin futures trading?

Colleagues, those of us in the technology or financial services sectors know that product delays are common. The Cryptocurrency Academy applauds ICE’s move to postpone Bakkt’s launch until late January 2019 for the primary purpose of due diligence and quality control. ICE fully acknowledges that Bitcoin futures are “commodities” (and not “securities”) which must be refreshing news to the US CFTC. Bakkt will set the price in a one-day physically settled Bitcoin futures contract. The billion-dollar question is what impact this delay will have on cryptocurrency futures trading in general and Bitcoin prices in particular. Bakkt is a strategic and high visibility launch for the global cryptocurrency ecosystem. ICE is determined to get it right. The implications of a faulty Bakkt platform launch would have major repercussions. We deem this delay to be for all the right reasons, however, if it is pushed into February or March institutional investor confidence will be heavily eroded. Share a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/)  

What is the fate of cryptocurrency derivatives?

Colleagues, cryptocurrency ETFs, Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs), Futures Contracts and Swaps have drawn the scrutiny and ire of regulatory bodies … particularly in England and the US. A key factor is whether cryptocurrencies are categorized as securities or commodities. Moreover, government entities are committed to protect the public interest of consumer or individual traders which may not have the resources nor expertise of institutional investors. This is true for the US CFTC and the British Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In the US the CFTC has approved TrueEx exchange for Designated Contract Marketplace (DCM) swaps. Brexit aside, the British FCA is seeking to enforce the EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD). The Cryptocurrency Academy predicts that regulatory scrutiny for derivatives will not be resolved until the more fundamental issues (e.g. the legitimacy of crypto assets as securities or commodities are fully resolved in the coming 12-24 months. For now, we recommend the individual traders take a cautious approach to derivatives. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Is there a Crypto Ruble Central Bank Digital Currency in Russia’s future?

Colleagues, central bankers around the world have commented on the viability of a CDDC in their respective nations for the past 2-3 years. The US Federal Reserve, PBoC, Bank of England, EBC and the State Bank of the Russian Federation have each weighed-in on this critical matter. Although the Cryptocurrency Academy does not want to handicap the odds and timetable for each nation state this we do know: The central banks of many of the world’s largest economics are seriously considering a CBDC. We have previously published posts on the US Fed and the PBoC. More recently, we have seen Russia’s central bankers prediction of a CBDC within the next 24-36 months. This forecast is generally in line with the statements (and actions) of their peers in other nations. Nevertheless, the BoE would appear to be in the lead with the PBoC Closely behind. The US Fed is cautiously assessing the viability of a US CBDC; however, major concerns over security and transparency remain. Not so with the PBoC which is actively developing the infrastructure for a Chinese CBDC as is the BoE. Russian officials state that future Crypto Ruble might even have parity with the existing fiat Ruble. We hold fast to our own prognostication: Within 2-3 years, these nations – along with Japan – are highly likely to have launched or be in an advanced development and testing phase of CBDCs. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/)  

Will the enforcement of economic sanctions force crypto exchanges to purge Iranian traders?

Colleagues, Bittrex, BitMex and now Binance have banned Iranian cryptocurrency traders in an effort to avoid penalties in the wake of US economic sanctions. The exchanges issue a warning to users based in Iran to withdraw their funds or face the confiscation of their assets. There are surely legitimate crypto traders in the Persian state, however, the goal is to place an embargo on any state-sponsored entities from circumventing US trade sanctions. Binance has moved from China to Japan, while BitMex HQ is in Hong Kong and Bittrex is located in the US. Exchanges, whether with large or modest trading volumes, face penalties for aiding and abetting Iranian actors from participating – even on the margins – in the global economy. Will other crypto exchanges follow their lead? We believe the strategies of other crypto platforms will depend on the rigor of direct or indirect US penalties. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/)  

Cryptocurrency Triple Play - How common are pyramid schemes similar to those in China, South Korea and Japan?

Colleagues, East Asia has become a hotbed for multi-level marketing schemes which exploit the allure of and poor transparency of cryptocurrencies, namely Bitcoin. Whether this past May in China ($47m) or more recently in South Korea ($20m) and Japan ($68m), crypto fraud schemes are running rampant across the region. Bottom line: Despite many efforts by credible members of the global crypto ecosystem, digital such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and others, are wrought with the potential for scams and related cybercrimes. Government enforcement entities such as China’s Ministry of Public Security or the US SEC only have the bandwidth to track and prosecute a small minority of crypto fraud cases. We do not foresee a significant reduction in crypto cybercrimes until government agencies have both the cyber tools and manpower to launch a counter-offensive which is likely to be 2-3+ years in the future. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Is Venezuela’s Petro a Viable Option to Become OPEC’s Oil-backed Cryptocurrency?

Colleagues, most readers will know that Venezuela’s socialist government wants to circumvent US economic sanctions by launching its Petro (PDVSA) cryptocurrency. This move would provide the beleaguered government access to financial resources it so desperately needs. The broader issue is whether OPEC should adopt the Petro as its de facto digital currency for global crude oil transactions among both first and third world nations. Venezuela ranks a distant 6^th place behind Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, the UAE and Kuwait according to crude oil production data from Statista. The Cryptocurrency Academy predicts that OPEC will steer clear of “little Venice’s” Petro as reported by Prensa Latina and instead adopt an oil-back cryptocurrency sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Aramco in mid-late 2019. We also predict that a Saudi sponsored currency is likely – by design – to be far more transparent than the Petro when it comes to tracking payments and transactions. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/)  

What is the impact of the malicious JavaScript code injection into StatCounter’s URI among cryptocurrency exchanges?

Colleagues, the world’s thirty-eight largest crypto exchange Gate.io was successfully hacked via the injection of code into StatCounter’s URI “myaccount/withdraw/BTC”. Reported by security firm ESET WeLiveSecurity indicated that although Gate.io is the only known crypto exchange effected, all of StatCounter’s some 2 million customer sites are at risk. For readers with a programming background the code was injected via the Dean Edwards JS packer in the middle of the script. We assume that economic gain is the chief motive although the ESET report did not provide corroborating details. This cyber-attack raises two questions. First, how susceptible are URIs (uniform resource identifiers) to injections via the Dean Edwards packer? And second, how many more web sites which use StatCounter – a competitor to Google Analytics – are effected? We will continue to research answers to both questions. Share a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Is Bitfury in a position to challenge Bitmain for supremacy of crypto mining ASICs?

Colleagues, flush with $80m in new capital Bitfury intends to take on Bitmain, NVidia and other mining ASIC vendors with the introduction of its Clarke ASIC chip. Not to be outdone, industry-leader Bitmain is launching its Antminer S15 and T15 machines featuring a 7nm ASIC tomorrow. This battle comes in the wake of relatively flat demand for NVidia GPUs and a decline in sales by AMD. In aggregate, these developments raise a fundamental question: What is the true size (and duration) of the crypto mining market? Is the size of this market in correlation with the market cap and number of crypto tokens – mostly Bitcoins – in the global market? Alternatively, as some suggest, is crypto mining reaching a market saturation point? The Cryptocurrency Academy believes that the number of crypto tokens is far from being usurped, however, we do not see the growth rates experienced in 2016-2018 to continue … with Bitmain remain the ASIC market leader. Share your comments today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Will the identification and prosecution of Japan’s Zaif hackers deter future crypto exchange cybercrime?

Colleagues, last month we reported on the $60m crypto heist carried out against Japan’s Zaif exchange. Japan Digital Design has apparently identified crypto transaction clues, which they believe will lead them to the hackers of some $60m. This is good news – any developments to help reduce crypto cybercrime only strengthen the common good of the global cryptosphere. However, Zaif with its roughly $7.4m trading volume according to CoinMarketCap is at best a third tier crypto exchange and the theft of $60m is a mere blip within the $212T global cryptocurrency arena. This leads us to the obvious question: Will the capture and prosecution of the Zaif hackers have a deterrent effect on other cyber-attacks against crypto exchanges around the globe? Answer: Highly unlikely. The dramatic growth in digital asset growth during the past year have made exchanges a “top priority” target for cyber criminals. We stand by our previous guidance. Professional traders and investors should stay with tier 1 exchanges such as Biance, Huobi, OKEx, etc.  – despite their own pitfalls – which tend to offer more stringent security measures.  Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Can Atomic Swap Technology Ensure the Security of the M-DEX Crypto Custody Mobile Exchange?

Colleagues, atomic swaps (aka atomic cross-chain trading) is the exchange of one cryptocurrency to another cryptocurrency without the need for a trusted a third-party. Sovereign Wallet intends to release M-DEX I January 2019 which is a custody-free mobile exchange enabled by the MUI trading bot. Eliminating the trusted third party has the allure of faster and lower cost cryptocurrency transactions. In turn, the MUI Token is purportedly backed by the Algorithm central bank. However, the fundamental question arises: How secure will M-DEX transactions be without the involvement of a third party custodian? Security is tantamount to the integrity and success of the global crypto ecosystem for individual traders and institutional investors alike. We believe M-DEX offers great benefits, yet also comes with notable risk. Proceed with caution until M-DEX is fully tested in a real-world environment.

Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

How will BTC.com and AntPool’s actions impact SegWit transactions?

Colleagues, a titanic battle of cryptocurrency miners is forcing the issue a crucial Blockchain hardfork vs. softfork. In the hardfork camp, Bitmain affiliates BTC.com and AntPool. Meanwhile, the Bitcoin Core camp is defending a softfork. Caught in the middle is SegWit (“Segregated Witnesses”). Apparently, BTC.com and AntPool are refusing to confirm SegWit block transactions. Bitmain favors increasing the limit of block size. A brief history lesson in Blockchain programming shows that hardforks – if not fully supported by the crypto ecosystem – can lead to divisions of the broader crypto community. Such is the case of the 2017 hardfork, which led to the split of Bitcoin into Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash. This issue is playing out in real-time and the Cryptocurrency Academy will provide an update once details are confirmed. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Investors Take Note – Intercontinental Exchange Will List its First Bitcoin Futures Contract in December

Colleagues, the advent of the ICE Bakkt physically settled daily Bitcoin futures contract would bring cryptocurrencies to the mainstream for institutional investors. The NYSE’s parent company, ICE, decided that a futures contract rather than a security was the most efficient route to market given the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s “self-certification” process when compared to the US SEC’s stringent process for approving ETFs.  Each futures contract will be valued at one (1) Bitcoin – currently trading at $6319.09 USD held in the Bakkt Digital Asset Warehouse. While most investor attention has been focused on have cryptocurrencies categorized as “securities” (under the auspices of the US SEC), the ICE Bakkt futures scenario opens-up a new vehicle for the trade of digital assets. We anticipate similar moves by the US CBOE and its counterparts in Europe and Asia over the next 12 months. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Monumental Challenge with Universal Benefits – OEM Apps on Mobile Devices or Embed Crypto Tools into Browsers

Colleagues, the Cryptocurrency Academy has written extensively about the need for digital assets to cross the chasm from early adopter to mass-market adoption. We see several financial management firms launch crypto trading and custody services for institutional clients. We would like to offer two potential approaches, which could dramatically accelerate individual trader transactions and dollar value. One strategy is to OEM a crypto trading app onto all smartphones, tablets and laptops – a simple pre-install placing the app on the ‘home’ screen alongside email, weather, search and IM. Second, a much more challenging approach would be to embed a crypto trading API pre-installed in Chrome, Firefox, IE and Safari. This is precisely what the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is considering with regard to Bitcoin’s Lightning Network. Bitcoin averages some 275k transactions and $3.7B+ in market value per day (CoinMarketCap). The implementation of either or both of the above techniques could help Bitcoin, Altcoin and Stablecoins truly reach escape velocity. We predict implementation led by W3C along with tier 1 browser and device vendors for industry-leading BTC within 24 months. Share a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Can Blockchain deliver security, performance and dependability for Japan’s new Payment Clearing Network?

Colleagues, Blockchain technology is about to meet once of its biggest challenges to date – the Japanese Banks' Payment Clearing Network consortium. The critical success factors include performance, security and dependability when processing of low-cost transfer of small-scale transactions using RTGS.for nine commercial banks. Fujitsu has been selected to develop the new Blockchain-based system. If this test proves successful, it will clearly distinguish Japan as a “first mover” when it comes to the industrial use of Blockchain technology among the world’s leading economies. One advantage here is the fact that all the players are Japanese owned and operated entities and may benefit from both technological and well as cultural synergies. China, South Korea and the US will closely monitor this stress test as they seek to implement comparable systems. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Does Blockchain’s DLT hold the key to Central Bank Digital Currency Adoption?

Colleagues, we have written extensively on the propensity of central sovereign banks to issue their own cryptocurrencies. The US Federal Reserve and the PBoC appear to be on opposite ends of the adoption continuum. New research published by the OMFIF (Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum) and IBM point us to the Occam’s razor of CBCD adoption: Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). Download the CBDC report here. Private sector ICOs continue to rise with no end in sight. While they understand that their underlying Blockchain technology likely has bugs and security vulnerabilities, financial institutions in particular – such as JP Morgan, Fidelity, BlackRock, etc. – clearly see the benefits of trans-border remittances, increased transaction speed and lower OPEX. In aggregate central bankers have major reservations on the security and dependability of DLT. The report states that the goal is to “construct a convincing RTGS replacement that can be properly benchmarked against existing systems and meet the high standards for security, robustness, efficiency and speed.” The PBOC is hiring staff to develop its CBDC as we speak, whereas the US Fed is cautiously assessing its options. Many other central banks are somewhere in between. Our prediction: By 2023, most G20 nations will have launched their own CBDC. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Security Lies in the Balance as Blockchain’s LockBox Wallet Uses the SWAP Crypto-to-Crypto Brokerage

Colleagues, does the global cryptosphere truly need another hardware wallet? The CEO of Blockchain clearly believes the answer is yes, indeed. The firm has announced plans to begin shipping its new LockBox device this November. LockBox’s distinguishing features is that it enables the exchange between different cryptocurrencies in partnership with SWAP brokerage. The value proposition is that traders can exchange Bitcoin for Ethereum, XRP for LiteCoin, Ripple for Ether … you get the idea. Two key factors will determine the success of LockBox. First is the Total Addressable Market from “crypto-to-crypto” transfers. With a global market cap of some $209B we anticipate that roughly 10% of crypto traders will need to make such a transfer during their financial careers. Second is the infamous security challenge – how secure is the hardware wallet when connected to the Internet as well as the security of LockBox’s interface with the SWAP brokerage when making transactions. Our recommendation: Proceed with caution. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Japan’s Financial Services Agency Grants Third Party to Self-Regulate Cryptocurrencies – Is a Similar Move Likely in the US?

Colleagues, the Financial Services Agency of Japan has granted approval for the Japanese Virtual Currency Exchange Association (JVCEA) to self-regulate the exchange of cryptocurrencies. Officially referred to as a "certified fund settlement business association” (aka the Association of Certified Fund Settlement Business Operators). The scope of the JVCEA appears to encompass the definition of crypto exchanges policies, enforcement and impose unspecified penalties on violators. This surely comes as music to the ears of Coincheck, Bitbank, GMO and other exchanges based in the island nation. Bottom line: Would Japan’s self-regulation model be acceptable to the US SEC or CFTC? Answer: Not a chance. Both US regulatory bodies – while seeing the potential value of cryptocurrencies – have major reservations regarding the security of crypto exchanges, illicit activity performed on crypto exchanges (such as money laundering, contraband and the undermining of economic trade sanctions) as well as the legal categorization of digital assets as bona fide “securities” or “commodities”. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

Tether and Bitcoin: David vs. Goliath – A Match Made in Hades?

Colleagues, Bitcoin without doubt is the poster children for cryptocurrencies. Despite its flaws and dramatic price decrease, since December 2017 it commands some 51% market share of the $209B global cryptocurrency value based data from CoinMarketCap. By all accounts Tether is a third-tier Stablecoin pegged to the US dollar … currently trading at 0.985 cents to the greenback. Tether does rank as the eighth largest cryptocurrency by weighted market cap with a little over 2B tokens in circulation. The central issue is whether Tether has been used to manipulate the value of Bitcoin – a $2B fiat-back Stablecoin influencing the industry leading BTC weighing in at $112B market cap. In a paper released by a University of Texas professor entitled Is Bitcoin Really Un-Tethered? The report makes a compelling case that “Less than 1% of hours with such heavy Tether transactions are associated with 50% of the meteoric rise in Bitcoin.” A bevy of articles by respected publications including the New York Times, CCN, Coin Telegraph, Coin Desk and CryptoSlate appear to validate the U of T statistical thesis of Dr. John Griffin. The unanswered question concerns motive. We will explore this issue further and report our conclusions. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

What can the US SEC and PBoC learn from the EU ESMA regarding the regulation of cryptocurrencies?

Colleagues, while the US SEC has an ongoing debate whether crypto assets are securities or commodities, the European Securities and Markets Authority’s (ESMA) central focus is on the “transferability” of the asset. Transferable assets may fall under the jurisdiction of the ESMA’s existing Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II.  Herein we have two of the world’s three geo-economic regions with different approaches to the potential regulation of digital assets. Which leads us to East Asia – Japan, South Korea and China – which have be the vanguard of cryptocurrency adoption (ICOs, exchanges and mining). The PBoC definitely anticipates a sovereign bank-sponsored cryptocurrency in its future, however, has major reservations about the impact of digital assets in general on the price of the yuan. The Cryptocurrency Academy predicts that the world’s three geo-economic regions will resolve the regulatory ambiguity over the next 24-26 months. The fundamental question remains: Will the EU, US and East Asia arrive at similar or conflicting regulation frameworks? We will continue to scrutinize and report on regulatory developments affecting crypocurrency adoption. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/) 

How does North Korea’s cyber warfare unit Lazarus Group use gains from crypto exchange attacks to its military?

Colleagues, under mounting political and economic pressure from the US – and to lesser extent China and Russia – North Korea’s infamous Lazarus Group appears to have cryptocurrency exchanges in the center of its radar screen. The highly respected Group-IB cyber intelligence firm reports that the DPRK was the source of some 14 cyber attacks targeting cryptocurrencies exchanges during the past one and a half years yielding $571m in illicit digital assets. Allow us to make two rather obvious assumptions: One, the cash-starved North Korean government has no viable exports other than the sale of rogue military hardware. Two, despite its economic deprivation, the DPRK funnels as disproportionate level of the financial resources it does have to the Lazarus Group’s cyber warfare ventures. These assumptions lead us to a fundamental question: How does North Korea use the crypto assets acquired by Lazarus? We believe the answer is two-fold. First, to build and acquire the country’s military arsenal. Second, the widespread and ongoing disinformation campaign needed to prop-up the ill-fated Kim political dynasty. Post a comment today! Lawrence – Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com/)