Can IP Rights Management be used to Secure Blockchain Distributed Ledgers?

Colleagues, once again the precipitous rise of Blockchain related technology far outpaces both third party and government standards. A prime example – among many – is the IP management for Blockchain concerning DistributedLedger Technology (DLT). Entities that or use or develop the technology will quickly need to become conversant with its IP implications, and to have a good understanding of the offensive and defensive strategies available to them. Failure to do so may be a risk to market share or proprietary business strategies. While there is little question that the Blockchain can store claims to authorship without a central authority to censor, take down or potentially tamper with original work it remains to be seen if it can prevent IP infringement is another question. Send us your comments. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)

How Will Atomic Swaps Impact Cryptocurrency Adoption?

Friends, Atomic Swaps (aka Cross-Blockchain Messaging) are a cryptographically powered smart contracts which enable two entities to exchange different cryptocurrencies/tokens without the risk of a trade default within your wallet. This new development can take the promise of decentralization to a higher level, particularly when it comes to exchanging different cryptocurrencies or tokens for one another. Atomic Swaps are the way to aid P2P trades in a completely trustless manner. Komodo’s JL777 recently conducted a successful electrum atomic swap on their platform with Bitcoin and Komodo as the trading pair. In theory they would appear to be a major breakthrough.  However, in reality can they ensure the integrity, security and reliability? Send us your thoughts. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)

How did China’s Bitmain Become a Cryptocurrency Mining and AI Powerhouse?

Friends, Bitmain – a 4 year old start-up in Beijing - sells Antminer bitcoin mining rigs that can cost several hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars each … apparently with healthy gross and operating margins. The firm also operates "mining pools" in which participants collaborate on bitcoin mining in order to cut costs. Bitmain has also introduced new AI products that are a customized tensor computing ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) optimized for training functions for deep learning networks. Later this year Bitmain is expected to will likely migrate some of its chips to TSMC’s 10nm and the most advanced 7nm. Can Bitmain sustain this meteoric growth … especially if Bitcoin prices stagnate? Let us know your views. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)

Will Byzantine Fault Tolerance Enable Blockchain Adoption Beyond Cryptocurrencies?

Friends, Byzantine fault tolerance (BFT) is the resistance of a fault-tolerant computer system, especially distributed computing systems, towards electronic component failures where there is imperfect information on whether a component is failed. In a "Byzantine failure", a component such as a server can inconsistently appear both functioning and failed to failure-detection systems, presenting different expressions to different observers. Perhaps nowhere is BFT more essential than on a Blockchain. Most traditional distributed computing environments have central configuration databases or authorities that can help right wrongs in the event that Byzantine failures occur. Blockchain applications, starting with Bitcoin’s Proof-of-Work consensus method, are today proposing solutions to this challenge. Can BFT and/or dBFT help solve this dilemma? Send us your comments. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)

World Economic Forum’s Predictions for Blockchain

Friends, earlier this month in Davos, Switzerland the World Economic Forum weighed-in on the future of blockchain and its impact the global economy. Here is a synopsis: Blockchain can transform certification and traceability for all manner of commodities. It does so by tracking products from producer to consumer, by creating binding contracts without the need for third party enforcement, and by eradicating the manipulation of data on origin, content, production, and health and safety. Dubbed a new operating system for society, Blockchain has been compared to the creation of the Internet for the extraordinary impact it could have on how we transfer things of value to each other. Only the vision and ingenuity of people and partnerships can realize the true potential of blockchain technology for our wellbeing, future prosperity and enterprise. Yes, this is a 30k foot view of a highly complete technology … nonetheless it offers a glimpse into the thinking of some strategic political, economic and technology thinks. So what is your take? Share your thoughts with us. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)

How Effective is CCSS in Governing the Global Cryptocurrency Ecosystem?

Friends, like all emerging technologies government or third party standards tend to lag the pace of research and development by the private sector and academic studies. The obvious question for the cryptocurrency arena is whether the CryptoCurrency Security Standard (CCSS) can effectively govern this emerging technology with its hyperspeed innovation, growth and a diverse ecosystem of global currencies, exchanges and trading platforms while protecting the security and integrity of investors and traders alike? Currently CCSS addresses ten elements of cryptocurrencies: Key/seed generation, Key storage, Third party security audits/pentests, Data sanitation, Audit logs, Key compromise, Key usage, Keyholder grant/revoke, Key/seed generation and Wallet creation. While many ecosystem players can achieve Level I certification it remains to be seen how many entities will acquire Level II let alone Level III status. Please share your thoughts and predictions. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)

How Will Blockchain Innovations Impact Industries & Business Process?

Friends, among the major Blockchain innovations are Taxation, Tokenized Assets, Data Mining, Public Trust and secure Identification. Most of us are aware that FinTech and Cryptocurrencies are just the tip of the iceberg for Blockchain. The technology is poised to transform other industries from healthcare to supply chain and far beyond. The key question is how the innovations (and challenges) identified above) will enable or impede Blockchain adoption as the technology moves from early adopter (financial assets) to0 mass market? Share your comments and predictions with us today. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com) 

How will the use of Smart Contracts Impact Blockchain Adoption?

Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement between buyer and seller being directly written into lines of code. The code and the agreements contained therein exist across a distributed ledger. Redundancy, Safety, Trust, Speed, Savings, Efficiency, Autonomy and Transparency are just a few benefits of Smart Contracts. However, there are some contracts—"in real life" contracts—that exist to manage complex and unexpected conditions. And then there is the issue of security. How secure are blockchain smart contracts with regard to Availability, Integrity and Confidentiality. Our view is that while these issues are real and tangible today, like most emerging technologies, such issues are either resolved or mitigated as the technology matures. Please share your thoughts on the viability and security of blockchain smart contracts. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)

What are the Top Technical Barriers to Adoption Facing Blockchain?

Just how far way is mass adoption of Blockchain across multiple industries and applications? The reality is that it could be many years before trustless systems are ready for mainstream use at scale. Some of these barriers include: Privacy, Limited Scalability, Store limitations, Ill-defined Governance and Standards, Insufficient Tools, Lack of adequate Consensus Mechanisms and beyond. Nevertheless, with the technical and market opportunity so vast, like any emerging technology, many of the brightest minds on the planet are lining-up to take on the challenges with the goal of reaping major rewards. Just reflect back on the origins of what are considered mainstream technologies today … microchips, spreadsheets, operating systems, smartphones, cyber security, etc. Take a further look at the International Development Research Center – Blockchain Hub. See you soon. Lawrence, Blockchain Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com) 

Purchase your Bitcoin Miner Today - Antminer S7~4.73TH/s@.25W/GH 28nm

Antminer S7 ~4.73TH/s @ .25W/GH 28nm ASIC Bitcoin Miner. S7 Specifications: 1. Hash Rate: 4.73 TH/s ±5%, 2. Power Consumption: 1293W ±10% (at the wall, with APW3, 93% efficiency, 25C ambient temp). 3. Power Efficiency: 0.25 W/GH ±10%(at the wall, with APW3, 93% efficiency, 25°C ambient temp), 4. Rated Voltage: 11.60 ~13.00V, 5. Chip quantity per unit: 135x BM1385, 6. Dimensions: 301mm(L)*123mm(W)*155mm(H), 7. Cooling: 1x 12038 fan, 8. Operating Temperature: 0 °C to 40 °C, 9. Network Connection: Ethernet, and 10. Default Frequency: 700M. Power consumption figures will vary with your PSU’s efficiency, the ambient operating temperature and the accuracy of the power meter. Figures provided are at the wall, with AC/DC 93% efficiency, and 25°C ambient temp. PSU: A power supply unit is not included, and you will need to purchase one separately. There are 3 PCI-e connectors for +12V DC input on each hashing board and all 3 are required on each board. Do not connect more than one PSU to the same hashing board! Click here (http://amzn.to/2nU6uTI) to order yours today!

Will Ethereum Overtake Bitcoin in 2018?

Bitcoin, for now, is the king of all cryptocurrencies, and the most famous of them. Created by a person using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, it defined the algorithms that enable the transfer of assets from one party to another without an intermediary, such as a bank. This helped to jumpstart what we call the Blockchain revolution. The application for Blockchain technology goes far beyond cryptocurrencies … and far beyond the finance industry. Despite its phenomenal 500% growth in the past five years alone – Bitcoin could be overtaken by upstart Ethereum that was developed by a millennial from Toronto. Ethereum's cryptocurrency has a name – Ether – that most people not familiar with. The total market value of all ether in circulation is $25-billion, not too far below Bitcoin's $42-billion. Ethereum now has "the flippening" in sight, that moment in time when its value surpasses Bitcoin's, something incomprehensible only a few months ago. Send us your projections. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com) 

Success Factors for Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)

An Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is a fundraising method that trades future crypto coins for cryptocurrencies which have an immediate, liquid value. Usually, a percentage of the tokens is sold to ICO participants and a percentage kept for the company’s needs (private investors, etc. Terms differ from one ICO to another). An ICO allows both big and small investors to fund the projects they like. The recent year carried thousands of successful ICO stories. The purpose for the project is obvious. The goal for the investors of the ICO is that the price of the token would be higher (or much higher) than the token’s price during the ICO. ICOs are really hot among the crypto investors. Recently, Hdac and Filecoin collected respectively astonishing amounts of $258 and $275 million. Whether you are seeking funds or looking to invest funds perform your 360 degree due diligence to ensure the coin originators, their company and legal structure are all above board before joining the company let alone investing your hard-earned funds. Hope this helps. Lawrence, Crytptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com) 

Blockchain – On the Cusp of a New “Foundational” Technology

Blockchain - the peer-to-peer network that sits on top of the Internet—was introduced in October 2008 as part of a proposal for Bitcoin. While blockchain was the secret sauce which enabled the rise of Bitcoin, the applications of blockchain reach far beyond the Fintech sector. Yes, the parallels between blockchain and TCP/IP are clear. Just as e-mail enabled bilateral messaging, bitcoin enables bilateral financial transactions. The development and maintenance of blockchain is open, distributed, and shared—just like TCP/IP’s. And just like e-mail, bitcoin first caught on with an enthusiastic but relatively small community. TCP/IP unlocked new economic value by dramatically lowering the cost of connections. Similarly, blockchain could dramatically reduce the cost of transactions. It has the potential to become the system of record for all transactions. If that happens, the economy will once again undergo a radical shift, as new, blockchain-based sources of influence and control emerge. The problem is, reconciling transactions across individual and private ledgers takes a lot of time and is prone to error. More details to follow. Lawrence, Cyrptocurrency Academy (https://genesysinternetdesigns.blogspot.com) 

Are IBOs a viable Alternative to ICOs?

U.CASH has invented the so-called ‘Initial Bounty Offering’ (IBO) which asks for contributions in the form of contributors’ time and skills in exchange for cryptocurrency. U.CASH said that the practice was “a way to crowdsource human resources, business development, marketing and user acquisition for blockchain technology ecosystems.” By contrast ICOs have swept the globe over the past year as the latest method of gaining fast amounts of large startup capital. Miko Matsumura, limited partner of Pantera Capital, recently estimated that approximately 900 ICOs took place in the month of November; over $3.75 billion has been raised through ICOs this year alone. In an ICO campaign, a percentage of the cryptocurrency is sold to early backers of the project in exchange for legal tender or other cryptocurrencies, but usually for Bitcoin. Which is the better choice – ICO or IBO? It primarily depends on your end goal – raise capital or acquire cryptocurrency. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com) 

Which Cryptocurrency Wallet is Right for You?

Cryptocurrency itself is not actually “stored” in a wallet. Instead, a private key (secure digital code known only to you and your wallet) is stored that shows ownership of a public key (a public digital code connected to a certain amount of currency). So your wallet stores your private and public keys, allows you to send and receive coins, and also acts as a personal ledger of transactions. Universal wallets that can be used like HolyTransaction (one of if not the most popular). In general, use an officially endorsed wallet for any given coin. So, for Bitcoin our recommendation is to use the Bitcoin Core Wallet, for Litecoin we would suggest Litecoin-QT, and for Ethereum we would suggest either Ethereum Wallet or MyEtherWallet. Bye for now. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com) 

Proof of Working Mining for Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrency miners are in a race to solve a mathematical puzzle, and the first one to solve it (and get it approved by the nodes) gets the reward. This method of mining is called the Proof-of-Work method. But what exactly is this mathematical puzzle? And what does the Proof-of-Work method involve? To explain this, we need to understand which stages are involved in the mining process: 1. Verify if transactions are valid. Transactions contain the following information: source, amount, destination, and signature. 2. Bundle the valid transactions in a block. 3. Get the hash that was assigned to the previous block. 3. Solve the Proof-of-Work problem (see below for details). The Proof-of-Work problem is as follows: the miners look for a SHA 256 hash that has to match a certain format (target value). The hash will be based on: 1.The block number they are currently mining. 2. The content of the block, which in Bitcoin is the set of valid transactions that were not in any of the former blocks. 3. The hash of the previous block. 4. The nonce, which is the variable part of the puzzle. The miners try different nonces to find one that results in a hash under the target value. Hope this helps. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com) 

Blockchain: Uncovering Blockchain Technology, Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and ...

Blockchain: Uncovering Blockchain Technology: Discover all thеrе іѕ to knоw аbоut the Blосkсhаіn revolution! Lіkе many, аѕ Bitcoin rоѕе tо рrоmіnеnсе, I decided tо stay оn thе ѕіdеlіnеѕ. Wіthіn a short tіmе, this оnе сrурtосurrеnсу сlіmbеd in vаluе tо new highs each аnd еvеrу mоnth. I wоuld look at hоw much a ѕіnglе Bitcoin wаѕ trаdіng fоr аnd think tо myself: "I wіѕh I had іnvеѕtеd еаrlіеr." Twо уеаrѕ ago, I dіd ѕоmе rеѕеаrсh аnd concluded thаt there іѕ still money tо be mаdе. Tоdау аnd іn thе уеаr 2017, I'm рrоud tо ѕау thаt thеrе іѕ ѕtіll a lоt оf рrоfіt left on thе tаblе fоr those that wіѕh tо еntеr thе dіgіtаl есоnоmу. Thе intention of this bооk is tо give уоu a ѕummаrу on thе world of сrурtосurrеnсіеѕ аnd tо provide уоu with аll of thе basic іnfоrmаtіоn thаt уоu nееd to gеt invested аnd bе able tо рrоvіdе a better есоnоmіс futurе fоr you аnd уоur fаmіlу. Wе are thе рrесірісе of a rеvоlutіоn in thе wау thе wоrld trеаtѕ thе mоnеtаrу policy as a whole. There will bе rаріd сhаngеѕ іn thе соmіng уеаrѕ, and you will want tо bе аn early аdорtеr оf what іѕ sure to bе a grеаt ѕоurсе of іnсоmе for thе few that dесіdе to learn аbоut thе dіgіtаl есоnоmу аnd gеt a head ѕtаrt. Order your copy today (http://amzn.to/2EdCyva) and start generating profits! 

How Much of the World’s Enegry Will Bitcoin Mining Consume?

Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index. To put the energy consumed by the Bitcoin network into perspective we can compare it to another payment system like VISA for example. According to VISA, the company consumed a total amount of 674,922 Gigajoules of energy (from various sources) globally for all its operations. This means that VISA has an energy need equal to that of around 17,000 U.S. households. We also know VISA processed 111.2 billion transactions in 2017. With the help of these numbers, it is possible to compare both networks and show that Bitcoin is extremely more energy intensive per transaction than VISA (note that the chart below compares a single Bitcoin transaction to 100,000 VISA transactions). Visit our web site. Lawrence, Cryptocurrency Academy (https://cryptocurrencyacademy.blogspot.com)