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Bitcoin power strain: A relatively new complaint establishment figures use to disparage cryptocurrency is it drains
Fine art: As cryptocurrency has skyrocketed in the public eyes, it's also become part of the
Very big sandbox: U.K. regulators have created a friendly environment for fintech startups over the past couple of years, most notably by allowing startups to test their ideas before having to follow the country's full slate of regulations, a process that has already helped
Taking a toll: As transactions migrate inside of
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CNBC | Wed Feb 14, 2018 - The Lunar New Year, which kicks off on Feb. 16, is East Asia's most important holiday season. The festival, also known as Chinese New Year, can be described as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Year's Eve rolled into one holiday, which marks the beginning of spring and the coming together of families. Other than China, where many go on a week-long holiday, countries like Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam also celebrate the festival as public holidays. As a result, the celebration impacts stock markets, factory production and economic activity. This year, it's also being cited by some as contributing to bitcoin's slump in January as Asian traders are perceived to be cashing out their cryptocurrencies to buy gifts for the holiday season.
TechCrunch | Wed Feb 14, 2018 - Demand is off the charts for blockchain talent, and the capital is waiting to back it up. More than $3.7 billion has been raised through ICOs in the United States alone. Blockchain-related jobs are the second-fastest growing in today’s labor market; there are now 14 job openings for every one blockchain developer. And as Nick Szabo, the developer who coined “smart contracts,” pointed out, there is an extreme “$/knowledge” ratio in the blockchain space, where capital by far outpaces talent. Today, Toptal, a marketplace for on-demand tech talent, is publicly launching their blockchain engineering talent vertical out of private beta. In today’s software development landscape, Toptal represents about 50 percent of on-demand engineering labor by revenue.
The Wall Street Journal | Wed Feb 14, 2018 - The House on Wednesday approved a bill that would make the resale of high-interest loans more attractive to third-party buyers such as debt collectors—and bolster fintech firms’ partnerships with banks. The bill passed 245-171. Nearly all Republicans voted for the measure, while Democrats were divided. The legislation would ensure that loans retain the original interest rate issued by a bank, even if they are sold to nonbanks, which unlike nationally chartered banks are bound by state interest-rate caps. The bill is a response to a 2015 ruling by the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that affects loans taken out by residents of New York, Vermont and Connecticut, the three states within the court’s jurisdiction. The Supreme Court had declined to review the case.
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