Categories
Australia Bitcoin Investing

More Australian Blockchain Heavy-Hitters Call For Increased Government Support

Following yesterday’s call by Steve Vallas – the CEO of Blockchain Australia, a coalition of blockchain-oriented Australian businesses – more big-league Aussie blockchain experts have joined the call for more government support for this budding industry.

Lagging Behind The USA By About 2 Years

Leigh Daniel Travers – the CEO of DigitalX, a Technology Fast 50 company specializing in customized blockchain solutions – stated that Australian companies typically don’t deal with international markets as much as companies from other countries might. He believes institutional investors are one of the many things that could spur on the rate of crypto adoption in Australia.

“Both of those markets in Australia haven’t seen a lot of adoption compared to global markets. Australians typically haven’t had too much involvement into international markets unless it’s managed on their behalf.”

In addition, he went on to say that there is a relatively well-known consensus in the industry that Australian regulation for new technology is around 2 years behind that of the US, and this has an impact on investors’ willingness to shop around on Aussie markets.

“Australia hasn’t had a Greyscale equivalent and that’s really prevented a lot of investors coming into the marketplace because they want to go through the process they usually go through. Having a familiar vehicle makes a lot more sense and that’s what we’re trying to bring to the market. I think there’s probably a well-understood investment cycle where Australia is 2-3 years behind US markets and that appears to be playing out in the crypto investment market as well.”

These aren’t empty words, either: in a recent update given to the ASX regarding its use of funds, DigitalX made note of the fact that they’ve increased their direct exposure to Bitcoin – as well as other digital assets by more than 70%.

Categories
Bitcoin Crypto News Market Analysis

Bitcoin is Now the 9th Largest Asset in the world, Surpassing Tesla in Market Cap

The Bitcoin marketcap is now just under 1 trillion USD continues to grow, surpassing big companies such as Telsa, Berkshire Hathaway and Alibaba.

Top 10 companies by marketcap source

Could it overtake Gold, and reach number 1?

For Bitcoin to get to the top it would need to overtake Gold, which has a 11 Trillion dollar market cap. That would take some doing – but who is to say it’s not possible, especially at the rate BTC it growing.

To surpass Gold, the price of bitcoin need to grow 10x and be worth over $500,000 per BTC – not taking into account any growth that Gold would have over the time period, which you expect it would.

Bitcoin Marketcap Trend

Bitcoin has a trend that previous highs get smashed by new highs, where the previous high appears a small bump in the chart. The trend continues so far…

Bitcoin marketcap source
Categories
Australia Bitcoin Institutions

As Morgan Stanley Bets $150B in Bitcoin, Craig Wright Now Calls BTC a “Ponzi Scheme”

As Bitcoin is taking the media by storm with increasing integration to institutions and technology corporations, Craig Wright —the self-proclaimed Satoshi Nakamoto— now calls BTC a “Ponzi Scheme” where everyone will soon “jump in”.

In an interesting turn of events, the Australian man who proclaims himself the creator of Bitcoin is now —ironically— trashing his own “creation” and states that he got “insanely rich” ever since.

A $150 Billion bet on Bitcoin

Wright’s comments came shortly after JP Morgan, one of the largest investment banks in America is currently exploring investing $150 billion in Bitcoin with Counterpoint Global —one of the several Active Equity Teams from Morgan Stanley.

Bitcoin nearly reached the $50,000 price level following Morgan Stanley’s announcement, reaching a maximum trading level of $49,669.

BTC/USD Chart. A new All-Time High for Bitcoin.

But as Bitcoin takes the spotlight, Wright compares Bitcoin to a controversial $65M Ponzi scheme in the U.S., elaborated by the market maker and financial advisor Bernie Madoff in 2009.

The price goes up because people are paying and the price goes up. But that doesn’t ever last forever. Old Charles Ponzi did that one too. And Mr. Madoff … Eventually, people go. Digital gold is boring. The [paper’s] first section talks about micropayments, which were the holy grail.

Stated Wright

Likewise, this January, Wright went all out with his lawyers against several sites that posted Bitcoin’s Whitepaper, specifically, Bitcoin.org. and Bitcoincore.org. But his claims were dismissed, and several governments including Colombia and Estonia —even the City Mayor of Miami— incorporated the document on their servers.

Categories
Bitcoin Crypto News Ethereum Investing

Invest Your Spare Change Into Bitcoin Effortlessly with Australia’s Bamboo App

An Australian-based App called Bamboo is providing effortless investment into crypto, simply by rounding up your card transactions into micro payments which get invested into crypto assets Bitcoin and Ethereum.

With headquarters in Perth WA, the Bamboo team have been working hard on an investment tool which can allow everyday Aussies exposure to the crypto market with minimal effort and minimal technical knowledge.

Example of micro payment roundups of recent bank account transactions

Bamboo Features

The Bamboo app has some cool features which include:

  • Simple setup – Connect your bank and let your everyday purchases turn into long-term investments. Get started in under 90 seconds!
  • Put your spare change to work – Coffee for $3.50? Round it up to $4 and invest into digital assets!
  • Instant top-ups – Add an instant top up to your portfolio (minimum A$50)
  • Scheduled contributions –  Set up a daily, weekly or monthly contribution.
  • Pick a portfolio – Set your custom portfolio composition.
Set your portfolio composition

Good to see the app being used as Bamboo users publish their stories on Twitter.

Security Measures

We’ve taken a look at the Security Process of Bamboo and they use third party intermediary called Basiq (part-owned by NAB) to connect your bank account to their app. They need this to read transactions and calculate the round-ups, and ofcourse take the direct debit payments from your bank account to invest with the App.

What Banks Are Supported?

Most of the major Australia and New Zealand banks are supported including Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Macquarie Bank Limited, National Australia Bank Limited.

What are the Fees?

We’ve also taken a look at the fees. “A deposit/withdraw flat fee applies when the amount is: less than or equal to $100, the fee is $1.49. more than $100 but less than or equal to $250, the fee is $2.49. more than $250 but less than or equal to $500, the fee is $3.99 more than $500, the fee is 0.8%.All fees are inclusive of GST.”

How to Get Started with Bamboo

To signup simply download the iPhone Mobile App or Andriod Mobile App, then register on the app.

If you need help or have any questions you can contact their support via email at [email protected] or you can reach out to them on social media.

Also there is a refer a friend $10 bonus, see Tweet below.

Categories
Australia Bitcoin Investing

Australian Teenager Investors Are Growing In Number – And Thriving

When you’re a young lad, your interests tend to revolve around the same things they have for centuries – enjoying the outdoors, chatting with your mates, and occasionally trying new things for the thrill of it.

Disclaimer: Be careful when trading Cryptocurrencies. They could can easily go to zero as well as going up. Please read our basic guides to learn more.

$10k Before Sweet Sixteen

To say the world is changing is an understatement. In Australia, for instance, older high-stakes pastimes are being phased out for more profitable ones – in this case, crypto investing.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, these days teens are more likely to be trading in crypto – and making a tidy sum off of it, in many cases.

Sam from Cronulla Beach is an avid surfer – and he’s put his earnings from his job as a surfing instructor towards the crypto market, where he’s managed to turn a profit of 8.5k so far before hitting 16.

Sam Cornock, 15, uses apps such as CoinGecko and YouTube to research the market in cryptocurrencies. – Source: The SMH

Waking up to catch some waves before school leaves you plenty of time to check the market before others wake up – and in crypto trading the early bird tends to get the worm.

Sam knows this and says that he’s planning to cash out before the market becomes shaky.

I just figure if everyone is talking about it and FOMOing, surely, it’s going to pop soon. Maybe I’ll take a little bit of money out, so I don’t get burnt on the way down.”

In order to trade, he’s using a crypto trading account opened in his father’s name – who is quite proud of his sons’ success in a very volatile market.

“As a parent, I’m amazed by how many hours of reading and research he is doing. He’s researching economics and what the market is doing.”

It’s important to note that cryptocurrency – like any investment – tends to be incredibly volatile, and should be approached with caution and a good amount of research.

Sam trades in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Polkadot – but admits he’s also lost some on riskier ventures. Haven’t we all though?

Big up to you Sam!

Categories
Australia Bitcoin Crypto News

ASIC will Welcome Bitcoin ETF With Proper Rules in Place

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has voiced out their stance regarding exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to Bitcoin, while addressing claims that it has a “secret policy” to stop such investment products tied to cryptocurrencies. The regulator is only concerned about investors’ protection and will welcome Bitcoin-linked ETFs, provided there are appropriate rules in place to protect the investors, according to the report by the Australian Financial Review on Friday.

ASIC Refutes Having Policy to Stop Bitcoin ETFs

The development is coming after the CEO of Cosmos Capital, James Manning, asserted that the regulator “have a policy — which they have not released — which says they do not want an exchange traded product, an MIS, listed on an exchange.” Note that, Cosmos Capital, a cryptocurrency mining and digital asset management company, tried to list a Bitcoin-linked ETF on the National Stock Exchange of Australia. However, the initiative was turned down by ASIC.

While addressing the claim today, ASIC commissioner Cathie Armour explained to the Senate select committee on financial technology that the effort from Cosmos Capital to list a Bitcoin ETF was rejected because the National Stock Exchange doesn’t have any proper rule to protect the investors. With appropriate rules in place, such products can be made available in Australia.

Bitcoin ETFs are Possible in Australia

“For any products to be quoted on exchange markets in Australia, the particular market needs to have in place rules that facilitate the quoting of products […] Not all markets have rules in place that do that. […] These products can be made available to Australians through a managed investment scheme regime and Australians can invest in these products in that way,” the commissioner precisely explained.

Bitcoin ETFs can be regulated under the Australian Securities Exchange’s AQUA Rules, according to Armour. This set of rules are specifically designed for ETFs, managed funds, and other related investment schemes. The National Stock Exchange of Australia doesn’t have such rules, Armour added.

The follows news a few months ago Australia’s Central Bank Tells ASX to Push on With Delayed DLT Trading Platform. Having confirmed it was replacing CHESS in December 2017, ASX originally planned to launch the new system in Q1 2020.

Categories
Bitcoin Crypto News

Uber may Accept Bitcoin Payment but Won’t Invest in it

Many popular companies are beginning to voice out their stance about cryptocurrencies, probably due to Tesla’s move to Bitcoin (BTC). On February 11, Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of one of the largest rail-hailing and food delivery companies, Uber, disclosed that they might start accepting payments in digital currencies.

However, the company is not planning to allocate its cash reserve to the leading cryptocurrency, as the electric car marker did.

Uber may Accept Crypto Payment

Khosrowshahi made this known while speaking with CNBC on Thursday. According to him, the rail-hailing giant can accept payment in digital currencies. However, they must have to be convinced of the need for accepting such payments and the benefits associated with digital currencies.

“Just like we accept all kinds of the local currency, we are going to look at cryptocurrency and or bitcoin in terms of currency to transact. That’s good for business, that’s good for our riders and our eaters. We are just not going to do it as part of a promotion,” Khosrowshahi said. 

That aside, Uber isn’t looking to exceed this level with cryptocurrencies, especially when it comes to investing in cryptocurrency. The CEO stated clearly that the company doesn’t consider adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets.

“We’re not in the speculation business”

Khosrowshahi sees Bitcoin and cryptocurrency investments as being speculative. Hence, they prefer keeping their cash reserve safe. “It was a conversation that happened that has been quickly dismissed. We’re going to keep our cash safe. We’re not in the speculation business,” Khosrowshahi precisely said.

Meanwhile, it’s worth mentioning that Uber is one of the members of the Facebook-planned stablecoin project, which was recently rebranded from Libra to Diem. Also, Uber won’t be the first as a food delivery platform to accept payments in cryptocurrencies. Just Eat, which purchased the Australian food ordering company, Menulog, already support payments in crypto.

Categories
Australia Bitcoin Crypto News Gold

Australia’s Newcrest Wants Crypto Investors to get Some Gold

As digital currencies continue to increase in value, they keep attracting the attention of many investors, than in other traditional assets. One of the executives at the Australian largest gold mining company, Newcrest, opined today that the growing value of cryptocurrencies should be the more reason investors should consider having other assets like Gold. This statement comes due to the high volatility of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC).

Newcrest Suggests you Should Hold Some Gold

The largest cryptocurrency, for instance, has surged significantly since the start of the year. Just some days ago, BTC reached another all-time high (ATH) in value at over US$47,000. Other popular alternative coins like Ether (ETH), Polkadot (DOT), Binance Coin (BNB), etc., reached a new high in market value this year. However, these cryptocurrencies are all trading slightly below the ATH price.

But as the cryptocurrency market keeps growing, Sandeep Biswas, the CEO of Newcrest Mining Ltd, told Bloomberg TV that digital currency investors should consider getting some of the age-old haven assets to protect their capital/profit from the high volatility in cryptocurrencies. “If you’re into cryptos, you want to consider having some gold. […] “may act as a bit of a hedge against the volatility of cryptos,” Biswas commented.

The CEO added that Gold is a different class of investment from cryptocurrencies and would benefit investors since it’s a more stable asset. “It’s a tangible asset: you can see it, you can touch it, you can feel it, you can mold it, you can make it into jewelry, whatever you want,” he further noted.

Crypto and Gold can Co-exist

Biswas’ statement somewhat indicates that cryptocurrencies can co-exist with Gold. Many people think that the growth in the crypto market might pinch demand from Gold. However, companies like Goldman Sachs Group Inc. had noted that the traditional assets would continue to maintain their stand in the market. At press time, Bitcoin was trading at US$45,125 on Coinmarketcap, while an ounce of Gold traded at US$1,850.

Categories
Bitcoin Cryptocurrencies Institutions

“Digital Assets are the Future”: BTC Hits A$62,346 as an American Bank Is Set to Support Crypto in 2021

America’s oldest custodian bank, Bank of New York Mellon Corp —BNY Mellon— will soon provide crypto support for asset-management clients.

The bank will support not only Bitcoin but several cryptocurrencies as well. The move comes amid after large American corporations like Mastercard and Tesla have adopted cryptocurrencies as payment methods.

Only a matter of time until banks worldwide begin to support cryptocurrency transactions —as crypto-assets, inevitably, are starting to take a broader space in the media.

“Digital Assets are the Future”

BNY Mellon executive, Mike Demissie stated that “Digital assets are the future”, adding that a large inflow of investors and institutional clients are seeking digital assets exposure through the bank.

We’re experiencing heightened interest from current clients who are seeking exposure to digital assets. We are also seeing new demand from prospective clients, particularly digital-native companies in the digital asset space, who are looking for BNY Mellon’s core investment services.

Stated Mike Demissie for Forbes

However, as many in the crypto-community see these events as a historical moment for crypto-assets, there are several users that believe this contradicts the original concept of decentralized finance.

Lots of people jumped into crypto because they wanted to escape from “custodians”. I don’t want someone who can suddenly freeze my money. Redundant service. Banks are wasting electricity

Stated a crypto-user on Twitter

BTC Hits New All-Time High

According to charts from TradingView, Bitcoin has reached another price record of $48.316.82 —A$62,346— following the bank’s announcement. An increase of 5.30% in 24 hours.

Institutional adoption has become a key element for BTC’s bull run, and it could be only a matter of time until crypto-assets are embraced worldwide. Although, some users in the crypto-market will see this multiform, some arguing that banks will need to adjust to cryptocurrencies, and others stating that traditional institutions will try to tax and freeze their coins.

Categories
Bitcoin Trading

TradingView Launches New Bitcoin Timeline

Popular charting tool TradingView, just announced their Bitcoin Timeline which shows the big events that have happened to Bitcoin.

The timeline goes as far back as 2009 when Bitcoin started (although the chart starts at 2011). You can use your mouse/finger to swipe through the chart left/right and reveal more events.

Bitcoin History Timeline by TradingView.com

You can hover the icons to reveal more information, and when you click learn more it goes to a full section of description of what happened.

Hovering a card on the timeline

The timeline descriptions are really informative, a lot of effort must have gone into these! Kudos TradingView!

Timeline descriptions example

Great to see stuff like this get developer, thanks TradingView.