CryptoCurrency News: Telegram's $1.2 Billion ICO Could Be the Most Ambitious Token Sale Yet

Not only in size, but also in scope: the messaging app provider wants to bring crypto payments to the masses and decentralize online communication.

via CoinDesk

CryptoCurrency News: Report: South Korea Eyes Joint Crypto Regulations With China, Japan

Finance regulators in South Korea are reportedly looking to cooperate with authorities in China and Japan on new rules for cryptocurrency trading.

via CoinDesk

How to buy NEO

NEO is unlike bitcoin. Where bitcoin uses the blockchain to validate transactions, NEO uses the blockchain to digitize assets, use smart contracts, and achieve a ‘smart economy’ based on a distributed network. NEO allows assets like cars, TVs, and even clothes to be digitized into digital assets so that smart contracts can operate on them. A smart contract is a programming that gets triggered either manually or in some other way by a change in a digital asset. The contract enforces rules that can change the digital asset in some way – for example, perhaps by changing its owner. NEO is much more than another coin.

NEO has 100 million tokens and NEO does not support mining, so the only way to get NEO is to buy it at an exchange. However, NEO generates a dividend payment called GAS that we describe after how to buy NEO.

Buying NEO

Various exchanges allow you to trade USD or another fiat for NEO, or trade other coins like bitcoin for NEO. The following lists the exchanges – the codes in brackets are the currencies you can trade NEO in:

• Anycoindirect.eu (Fiat)
• BigONE (BTC)
• Binance (BTC/GAS)
• Bitfinex (USD/BTC/ETH)
• Bittrex (BTC/ETH/USDT)
• CoinEgg (BTC)
• Coinnest (KRW/GAS)
• CoinSpot (AUD)
• CoinSwitch (BTC)
• CoolCoin (BTC)
• co.nz (BTC/LTC/DODGE)
• Exrates.me (BTC/USDT)
• io (USDT/GAS)
• Huobi (BTC/GAS)
• KuCoin (BTC/GAS/BTC)
• LBank (BTC)
• OKEX (BTC/ETH/USD/GAS)
• Quoine (BTC/USD)

Understanding NEO and GAS

As mentioned earlier, holding NEO generates another token called NeoGAS, or just GAS – think of this as a dividend payment. A NEO token acts like a share that allows you to eventually vote for certain changes. Holding a NEO token also has the advantage of NEO generating GAS. GAS is used to fuel the blockchain. Think of it like this – when you transfer bitcoin from one wallet to another, you get charged a transaction fee. This transaction fee is GAS in NEO – all NEO has done is separate its token from the token that powers the blockchain. The NEO transaction fee is currently zero, so where does GAS come from? GAS comes from paying for certain transactions and to deploy smart contracts and dApps on the NEO blockchain. GAS can be traded on exchanges so you can sell it for bitcoin or even fiat making GAS like a dividend for holding NEO. There will only be 100 million GAS tokens created over 22 years – after that, the voting privileges become more important because they’ll determine things like the transaction fee (which is currently zero).

So getting GAS for NEO is better than mining since all you do is hold NEO. You need to make sure you use one of the official wallets to get GAS since many exchanges’ wallets don’t pay GAS at all. One of the wallets you can use is called NEON (https://github.com/CityOfZion/neon-wallet/releases) – it accepts GAS. Another wallet, online this time, is NEO Tracker (https://neotracker.io/wallet) – this wallet allows you to claim GAS, according to their FAQ. Another online wallet you can use is the NEO Wallet (https://neowallet.cn/); however, you’ll have some work to do to receive your GAS – it’s not automatic like it is in the NEON and NEO Tracker wallets. A mobile option for Android users is the NEO App 1.2.1; this wallet allows you to claim GAS as well. One exchange, which pays GAS is Binance. At Binance they pay GAS once per month on NEO balances.

Conclusion

This article described NEO, how it’s different from bitcoin, explained how to buy NEO and then explained in detail how NEO GAS works and how it’s beneficial to you.

CryptoCurrency News: Bitcoin ETF Proposals Withdrawn After SEC Pushback

Several firms seeking to list exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to bitcoin have withdrawn their filings at the request of officials from the SEC.

via CoinDesk

CryptoCurrency News: Smart Contracts Proposal MAST Inches Closer to Bitcoin's Code

A long-standing proposal to bring "smarter" smart contracts to bitcoin's main net has just taken one step closer to implementation.

via CoinDesk

NVidia changes terms of service with exception for blockchain

A change to Nvidia’s terms of service will make data centers fork over big bucks for higher end cards, but cryptocurrencies miners are off the hook.

On January 7, 2018 it was reported that Nvidia, popular maker of graphics cards often used to mine cryptocurrencies such as Ether and bitcoin, altered its terms of service to bar the use of Titan and GeForce graphics cards software in data centers and large-scale commercial or research environments.

Miners of Ether need not fret; the company included an exception to allow use of the cards for blockchain applications, including mining cryptocurrencies. So while miners won't be feeling any of the heat from this change in terms of service, those now prohibited from using the GeForce and Titan cards are forced to turn to Nvidia's much more expensive proprietary modules like the Tesla V100, which can go for upwards of $10,000.

Specifically, the new terms of service read, "No Datacenter Deployment. The SOFTWARE is not licensed for datacenter deployment, except that blockchain processing in a datacenter is permitted."

Admittedly, projects that don't need the power of more expensive processors and yet fall under the prohibited settings might be in for a problem. While a spokesperson maintained that a great deal of academic projects are too small to meet Nvidia's definition of a data center, they also related that Nvidia will try to "work with" users breaking the license agreement, although how it plans plan to do so remains unclear.

The move to make an exception for mining is no major shock as the popularity of mining cryptocurrencies, in particular, Ether, has resulted in high demand for Nvidia's cards. The rise of cryptocurrency, and other technological innovations such as development of autonomous automobiles as well as a push towards artificial intelligence, have begun to shape a diversification effort within Nvidia.

It remains to be seen how Nvidia will enforce the revised terms of service for their card, and what the consequences will be for those who choose to breach the Nvidia license agreement.

Source: ETHNews

CryptoCurrency News: Kodak Is Launching a Cryptocurrency for Photographers

U.S. technology firm Kodak has announced that it will launch its own cryptocurrency, with plans to host an initial coin offering (ICO).

via CoinDesk

CryptoCurrency News: Nebraska Lawmaker Files 3 Blockchain Bills

A lawmaker in Nebraska has filed a trio of bills focused on blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

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CryptoCurrency News: Malaysia Securities Watchdog Issues ICO Cease-And-Desist

Malaysia's securities market watchdog has issued a cease-and-desist to a startup ahead of its planned initial coin offering (ICO).

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CryptoCurrency News: Swiss Government Launches Blockchain Task Force

The Swiss government has launched a new initiative to cement its regulatory framework surrounding blockchain startups and ICOs.

via CoinDesk

[FOREX NEWS] WTI Crude Oil highest since December 2014

Oil prices have been on a gradual path of rises for quite some time. And now, WTI crude oil tops the 2015 high of $62.60 and reaches new highs $62.69. It currently trades at the highest levels since December 2014. The breakout awaits confirmation. The move higher in oil prices should give a boost to [...]

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CryptoCurrency News: Ether Bucks Bearish Trend to Hold Above $1,200

The price of ether, the native token of the ethereum platform, is bucking the downtrend seen across the top 10 cryptocurrencies.

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CryptoCurrency News: Jamie Dimon Says He Regrets Calling Bitcoin a Fraud

JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon now reportedly regrets calling bitcoin a "fraud," though he is still not a fan of the cryptocurrency.

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CryptoCurrency News: $35 Million: Smart Contracts Platform Mobius Completes ICO Presale

Smart contracts provider Mobius has successfully raised $35 million in a token presale based on the Stellar network.

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CryptoCurrency News: Ethereum Price Highs Overshadow New Wave of Tech Issues

With ether price reaching all-time-highs, fundamental issues that relate to the most basic operation of ethereum's blockchain are popping up.

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CryptoCurrency News: Below $15K: Bitcoin Plays Defense Amid Bear Move

Bitcoin is on the back foot today, despite yesterday's sharp recovery from $14,000 levels.

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CryptoCurrency News: TD Ameritrade: Bitcoin 'Great Opportunity' to Get Millennials Trading

Investment services firm TD Ameritrade sees cryptocurrencies as the "greatest opportunity" to get millennials to trade, says its chief strategist.

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CryptoCurrency News: Bank of Israel: Digital Currencies Are an Asset Not a Currency

The deputy governor of Israel's central bank has said that digital currencies like bitcoin are more of a financial asset than a currency.

via CoinDesk

[FOREX NEWS] EUR/USD continues retreating, loses support – a halt may wait for Friday

After initially clinging to the 1.20 level, EUR/USD lost that line. And after not going anywhere at first, the pair is now accelerating its falls. On its way down, euro/dollar slipped below 1.1960. That was the high point in late November, that turned into a line of support. After losing yet another line of support, [...]

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CryptoCurrency News: Bitcoin Mining Wastes Energy? What If That's a Good Thing?

Long-term, the incentives bitcoin creates may drive efficiency and green energy solutions in the crypto world and even spur them in the wider economy.

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CryptoCurrency News: Nvidia Curbs Data Center GPU Use – But Crypto Miners Are Excluded

GPU maker Nvidia has tweaked its software license agreement to limit the use of its products by data centers – unless they're mining cryptocurrencies.

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[FOREX NEWS] Best cryptocurrency to invest in 2018

If the year 2017 be named as the year of Bitcoin, it will not be an exaggeration at all. Last year saw an unprecedently high rise in the cryptocurrency bitcoin. The digital coin started the year at $1,000 and went up to $19,000 until the end of the year in December. Currency trading experts analyze [...]

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[FOREX NEWS] USD/JPY suffers a minor taper tantrum – higher inflation needed for a lasting move

The Bank of Japan stands out among central banks in developed countries. They are on the extreme dovish end, buying bonds at a rapid clip with no end in sight. That keeps the yen under pressure against its peers, with an occasional safe-haven flow. But when we have a change in the fundamental of the [...]

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