Bitcoin has a massive carbon footprint. This clever new cryptocurrency doesn’t
Bitcoin mining is bad for the environment. Researchers from Switzerland’s Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne believe they have come up with a new low-energy approach to current cryptocurrency approaches. Here's what their concept does differently -- and why it matters.
The HTC Exodus smartphone: Here’s everything we know
HTC has released another smartphone, and this time it's geared toward blockchain technology. Known as the HTC Exodus, the smartphone is designed to support cryptocurrencies and decentralization of data. The phone has finally been released, and you can buy it in either real money or in Bitcoin.
The IRS is cracking down on people who didn’t pay taxes on Bitcoin earnings
If you've been trading Bitcoin and haven't been reporting your earnings to the IRS, you might be getting a surprise in your mailbox. The IRS is cracking down on cryptocurrency traders who didn’t report their earnings on their taxes. Around 10,000 people are expected to get letters.
Digital Trends Live: A dual-screen Surface, Amazon’s surveillance drones, more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we take a look at the top trending tech stories of the day, including Microsoft’s reported dual-screen Surface, Amazon’s surveillance drones, Bitcoin makes a comeback, a flying taxi test over Oregon, pizza-making robots, another SpaceX rocket launch, and more.
Congress already wants to block rollout of Facebook’s cryptocurrency
It only took a few hours after Facebook announced the details of its Libra cryptocurrency on Tuesday morning for lawmakers in Congress to tell the social media giant to pump the breaks. Rep. Maxine Waters asked Facebook to stop development until Congress could weigh in.
Facebook’s crypto isn’t a new Bitcoin, it’s Disney Dollars for a new world order
Facebook's new cryptocurrency ambitions might prove popular, but it won't pull in many existing cryptocurrency fans. The famously decentralized medium hasn't shown much love for more controlled alternatives, and Libra could be the latest attempt to legitimize the prototypically uncontrolled crypto space.
Digital Trends Live: Uber goes public, iPhone XR design leak, and robot butlers
On today’s Digital Trends Live, we discuss today’s trending tech topics, including: Uber goes public, $40 million in bitcoin stolen, the design for the iPhone XR leaks, Blue Origin updates, robot butlers, and using the human ear as a “USB hub” for hearable devices
Hackers demanding bitcoin payments for code held hostage from GitHub and GitLab
Hackers extracted all the source code from certain GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket repositories, leaving behind a ransom note demanding bitcoin. It remains unclear how the hackers were able to access the accounts, but an investigation suggested that credentials were compromised from third-party exposures.
This streaming music service pays artists in Bitcoin, plants trees if you listen
Feedbands is an environmentally friendly subscription streaming music service that pays artists in Bitcoin, and plants trees in exchange for authenticated listens from customers. Here's what you need to know about this planet-saving quintessentially millennial sales pitch.
Bitcoin mining profits are on the rise. But don’t buy your own hardware just yet
Gross margins for Bitcoin miners are on the rise again after a year of continual downfalls. While this doesn't guarantee it will remain profitable forever, it seems as if the downturn may have been reversed for now, while trades in the cryptocurrency continue to grow from month to month.
Digital Trends Live: Oscar nominations, the future of blockchain, and more
On this episode of Digital Trends Live, we discussed Oscar nominations for the Netflix film Roma and the latest Spotify features. We were also joined by journalist Rachel Wolfson to talk about the future of cryptocurrency and how the technology is poised to go mainstream.
Coinstar machines will let you swap cash for Bitcoin at your local grocery store
Coinstar, the company which owns the cash exchange machines found at grocery stores and elsewhere, will soon let you easily buy Bitcoin with your money. Here's what the company recently announced -- and why this is potentially big news for the 10-year-old cryptocurrency.
Are Bitcoins the new Beanie Babies, or is there hope in 2019?
Bitcoin skyrocketed in value from less than a penny in 2010 to nearly $20,000 in late 2017. Then it spent 2018 in a freefall crash. So, what happened? Is it dead? Can Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies survive in 2019? Government backing may be the key to their resurgence.
The first Bitcoin was born 10 years ago today. How far we’ve come
The Bitcoin genesis block was mined 10 years ago today, bringing the first 50 Bitcoins into existence. Since then more than 17 million more have been mined and the hardware used to create new tokens is thousands of times more capable. It's also having a dangerous environmental impact.
Canada’s winters inspired a startup to warm homes with cryptomining heat waste
Consuming massive amounts of electricity and generating tons of waste heat has become the price we’re paying to use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It’s a problem that gets worse at scale. But Quebec-based Heatmine thinks there may be a way to replace existing hot water heating systems with mining rigs, solving two problems at once.
Cryptocurrency investor Ian Balina sees a comeback for cryptocurrency in 2019
Today on Digital Trends Live, we chatted with cryptocurrency investor Ian Balina about what the future holds for cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin. He also gave a quick recap of what happened in 2018, as well as a few pointers on what to look for when thinking about investing our own money.
DT Daily: PlayStation 5 rumors, Kroger food robots, and the future of A.I.
From trending topics like a possible PlayStation 5 release date, to a new type of AI from Microsoft that looks straight out a science fiction movie, a lot happened today on DT Daily. We also sat down with the CEO of Blockchain Development Co. Eric Lamison-White to discuss his Stablecoin patent.
Digital Trends Live: Stablecoin expert discusses all things cryptocurrency
Today on Digital Trends Live, we talked with the CEO of Pareto Network, Eric Lamison-White. His company is a market-insight platform that is focused on cryptocurrency. We discussed Stablecoin, which is a way to protect your cryptocurrency, as well as what the future holds for Bitcoin.
Hublot’s newest luxury watch costs $25,000, and you can only pay in Bitcoin
The Hublot Big Bang Meca-10 P2P is the latest luxury timepiece from the watch brand, and is a special limited edition made to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Bitcoin. Eager buyers must use the cryptocurrency to buy one, and they'll need substantial virtual wallets to afford the $25,000 price tag.
10 years of Bitcoin: How a geeky cryptocurrency changed the world
From its birth 10 years ago, Bitcoin has grown from fledgling cryptocurrency proof-of-concept into a real world cash alternative that's taken seriously by everyone from technologists to governments. How did it get to that point? Check out our handy potted history to find out.
If we want to slow down climate change, we should change how we mine Bitcoin
Bitcoin mining isn't good for climate change. According to a new study coming out of the University of Hawaii Manoa, provided that Bitcoin continues its current trajectory it could produce enough emissions to raise global temperatures by 2 degrees Celsius as soon as 2033.
Ripple cryptocurrency jumps 70 percent in 24 hours after news of bank deal
A tease that the Ripple (XRP) cryptocurrency might soon be adopted by a number of banks to speed up and ease international money transfers has sent its value skyrocketing. In 24 hours, it reached its highest value in 2018, jumping more than 70 percent in some cases and XRP trades even top Bitcoin in the past 24 hours.
Giant wind farm in Morocco will help mine cryptocurrency, conserve energy
One of the windiest parts of Morocco is set to get a $2 billion, 900MW wind farm power plant, which could help power eco-friendly cryptocurrency mining in a more environmentally friendly way. Here's what is being planned -- and why this is an important step for the future.
A vigilante botnet is taking out crypto-jacking malware
A new botnet with links to the Satori botnet has been spotted in the wild by security researchers. Known as Fbot, it doesn't look to spread malware though. It destroys it. It searches websites for a particular piece of crypto-jacking malware, takes it over, and then destroys it, deleting itself in the process.
Those $1 Bitcoins at Walmart have one big catch — they’re made of chocolate
Walmart's new Bitcoin chocolate coins are priced at just $1 a pack, giving cryptocurrency investors the chance to hold something real in their hands for the first time. Better yet, if they ever get tired of 'holding' their investment, they can always just tear off the faux-gold wrapper and eat them.
Police bust a massive interstate SIM card hijacking ring
Law enforcement agents in Flordia and other states have joined to break up an interstate cybercrime ring that used hijacked SIM cards to steal cryptocurrencies and cash from victims. The group's biggest score came in May of this year when members worked together to steal 57 Bitcoins from a single victim.
Hacker plays ‘Doom’ on John McAfee’s ‘unhackable’ BitFi Bitcoin wallet
A hacker has managed to get Doom running on John McAfee's allegedly unhackable Bitcoin wallet by rooting the device. Although that didn't qualify him for the $250,000 award for stealing the coins from the wallet's storage, it does suggest that hackers aren't far from completing that supposedly impossible feat.
Chinese authorities break up billion-dollar cryptocurrency gambling ring
Chinese law enforcement authorities have broken up a more than 1.5 billion-dollar gambling ring that made use of the dark web and cryptocurrencies to facilitate betting on the outcome of the World Cup.The action was part of a larger crackdown on illegal betting on the World Cup tournament.
Money-laundering ‘Bitcoin Maven’ receives one-year prison sentence
Theresa Tetley of Los Angeles, also known as the Bitcoin Maven, gets sentenced to one year in prison. The prison term is down from the 30 months that she faced for running an unlicensed money transmission business and, in at least one instance, exchanging Bitcoin for cash that came from illegal means.
What is Ethereum?
New cryptocurrencies are sprouting out of thin air all of the time, but only a few have had a lasting impact. Ethereum is one such cryptocurrency, despite only being a couple of years old. It's one of the most valuable and has enabled the creation of many others. What is Ethereum? It's one of the most exciting cryptocurrencies.
These are the largest Bitcoin mining farms in the world
With all the cryptocurrency hubbub in the world these days, it's not surprise that some giants in the money making market have appeared. Whether they assist others with mining, or do it themselves, here's some of the largest farms and pools in the world.
A look into Bitcoin’s troubled year
Last year, Bitcoin seemed nearly unstoppable, but things have changed and not for the better. The currency recently dropped to less than $6,000 which is a far cry from the lofty heights of last year or even earlier this year.
What is Bitcoin?
What is Bitcoin? It's a question that many recent investors might struggle to answer effectively because cryptocurrencies are a whole world unto themselves. Getting your head around the basics is important if you want to know what you're getting into before buying buying into the latest crypto-craze.
Why Mastercard is ripping a page from Bitcoin’s book
Mastercard wants to use the inherent security of blockchain to make money more intuitive and less hackable. Its new blockchain patents seeks to put an end to credit card skimmers. Regardless of what you think about cryptocurrency, the largest financial institutions are transforming real money to be more like it every day.