Messari 
IntoTheBlock 
Brian Armstrong 
Pierre Rochard 
Vitalik Buterin 
Jameson Lopp 
U.K. › Adoption
Ledger tells Londoners to “take back control” using crypto and “choose freedom” on Brexit Day
Hardware wallet provider Ledger has erected a digital billboard over London’s Canary Wharf financial hub reading “let’s take back control for real,” taking a jab at the pro-Brexit rhetoric of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the day the United Kingdom formally leaves the European Union (EU).
Ethereum › Adoption
MyEtherWallet adds “.crypto” email-style naming feature for personalized ETH addresses
MyEtherWallet (MEW) users are now able to send and receive ETH and ERC-20 tokens using their own personalized “human-readable” address instead of the standard 42-character public key. Unique addresses can be created on MEW in the form of “[name].crypto,” powered by Unstoppable Domains, a blockchain registry startup funded by Draper Associates and the Ethereum Foundation.
Korea › Stablecoins
Stablecoin protocol Terra surpasses one million users in less than 9 months
Eight months after launch, Terra, a stablecoin protocol backed by four of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, has surpassed one million user accounts and hit an annual run rate of $2.4 billion, the company reported in a press release seen by CryptoSlate.
![Venezuelans are paying an average $1,980 premium on LocalBitcoins [UPDATED]](https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/themes/cryptoslate-2020/imgresize/timthumb.php?src=https://cryptoslate.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/bitcoin-grow.jpg&w=180&h=94&q=75)
Bitcoin › Venezuela › Analysis
Venezuelans are paying an average $1,980 premium on LocalBitcoins [UPDATED]
[Note: this article has been updated for accuracy] The average price of BTC on LocalBitcoins Venezuela is $1,980 above the Coinmarketcap spot price, likely making the stricken South American economy one of the world’s most expensive markets for Bitcoin.
Seattle › Technology
Dragonchain test demo hits 15,000 transactions per second on its public network
“Enterprise-first” blockchain platform Dragonchain clocked a peak performance of 15,000 transactions per second in a 24-hour performance demonstration Thursday, as reported by the company’s official Twitter account.
Partnerships
CryptoSlate partners with IntoTheBlock for real-time crypto analytics and market intelligence
IntoTheBlock, a machine learning-driven crypto analytics firm, is to integrate its unique market intelligence into CryptoSlate to bring real-time indicators and signals to users.
Analysis
Explosive market data suggests Bitcoin’s buy streak could just be getting started
A sudden jump in key metrics in both the futures and spot markets indicates strength and institutional sponsorship behind Bitcoin’s latest rally, a factor that could mark the start of an extended winning streak for the bulls. As it stands, the five-day rally has seen Bitcoin gain more than 16 percent in price and $15 […]
Bitcoin › Bitfinex › Exchanges
Key data shows Bitcoin uptrend is at risk as Bitfinex longs suddenly plunge
Bitcoin has rocketed to a 30-day high after posting one of its largest intraday rallies in weeks, but closer inspection suggests the sudden breakout may not mark the start of an uptrend.
Bitcoin › Analysis
Low Bitcoin volumes and volatility signal uncertainty behind BTC’s latest rally
Despite a strong rebound in both price and sentiment, the Bitcoin market is grappling with the lowest real trade volumes seen since April last year, as reported by Forbes. Bitcoin posted a convincing bull rally Friday morning, seemingly ending a weeks-long consolidation that had taken BTC down to $6,900.
Bitcoin › China › Mining
Bitcoin hashrate surges to all-time high after Chinese government pressures miners to scale down operations
Just after regional authorities reportedly urged Bitcoin miners to reduce electricity consumption in Sichuan — a province that could account for up to 50 percent of global hash power — BTC’s hash rate rocketed to a new all-time high.
Litecoin › Technology
Development has started on Litecoin privacy features, but crowdfund still needs $57,000 in donations
The development has officially begun on Litecoin’s implementation of Mimblewimble extension blocks, a feature that will bring confidentiality to the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.
Bitcoin › Analysis
Bitcoin was the world’s top-performing commodity in 2019 after a year of healthy growth
Bitcoin has wound up as 2019’s top-performing commodity despite its exclusion from the majority of commodities market wrap-up reports.
Bitcoin › Japan › Exchanges
Fortress has reduced its offer to buy up Bitcoin claims of Mt. Gox victims
New York-based investment firm Fortress Investment Group has issued a new letter to creditors of the long-collapsed exchange Mt.
Bitcoin › Bakkt › Analysis
Futures data suggests latest Bitcoin rally is just short-covering, most Bakkt contracts aren’t being settled
A massive drop in open interest on the CME and Bakkt Bitcoin futures contracts indicates short-covering has fueled BTC’s latest rally, likely egged on by the expiry of Bakkt’s December contract.
U.K. › Adoption
Fidelity Digital Assets sets up shop in the U.K. after Johnson win; can Europe lead crypto adoption?
Asset management giant Fidelity Investments has established a United Kingdom entity for its cryptocurrency business with the intent of gaining a foothold in Europe, the move coming days after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson led his pro-Brexit government to victory in a snap election.
Bitcoin › China › Scams
Report suggests Ponzi scheme PlusToken may have stolen hundreds of millions, not billions
Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis has issued a new report suggesting that PlusToken, the multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme widely suspected to have been driving down the price of Bitcoin with mass liquidations, could have misappropriated less crypto than previously alleged.
Bitcoin › Bitfinex › Analysis
Bitcoin longs hit record high on Bitfinex, long squeeze incoming?
The number of Bitcoin long contracts on margin trading platform Bitfinex has exploded in December to reach the highest level in years, far exceeding the levels of BTC’s late 2017 bull market. Traders currently hold more than 43,000 long positions, worth $299,784,000, on Hong Kong-based Bitfinex.
Ethereum › DeFi
Ethereum locked in DeFi hits all-time high, total deposits up 22,400 percent in two years
The amount of Ethereum locked in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has hit an all-time-high after one of the most explosive months for deposits on record and is now up 22,400 percent since December 2017.
Seattle › Adoption
StormX launches crypto rewards for up to 30% back on brands like Microsoft
StormX has ventured into the eCommerce space with the launch of its second product, StormShop, a rewards platform allowing users to shop online and claim up to 30 percent back in crypto from brands including Microsoft, Macy’s, and Groupon.
Bitcoin › Adoption
LocalBitcoins volumes hit all-time-high in Argentina after Trump tariff announcement
Trade volumes on LocalBitcoins (LBC) have hit a new all-time-high in Argentina, having spiked days after President Trump’s announcement that the United States intends to place tariffs on Argentinian metal imports.
Jonnie is a writer and blockchain enthusiast based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Discovering new corners of the world and emerging tech trends makes him tick.
