Altcoin News by Thebittimes.Com

When contemplating EU membership for the nation, the digital lari emerges as a symbol of interoperability with the digital euro, all while safeguarding financial autonomy. The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) has unveiled its intention to propel research on a central bank digital currency ( CBDC ) called the digital lari, within a controlled, exclusive live pilot environment. Nine entities, including Ripple Labs, will actively participate in this project, with a single entity to be chosen for progression to the subsequent testing phase. In a report released in February, the NBG articulated its consideration of a dual-layered CBDC design, featuring third-party provided wallets. This innovative currency would be programmable and offer support for the tokenization of various assets. During an interview held in June, Varlam Ebanoidze, the NBG’s fintech lead, elaborated on potential applications for the digital lari, also known as GEL. These encompass facilitating agricultural insurance an...

A recently resurfaced video shows Hal Finney discussing the possibility of zero-knowledge proofs at an annual cryptology conference in California some 25 years ago. Early Bitcoin (BTC) pioneer Hal Finney shared his vision for zero-knowledge proofs more than 25 years ago, a full decade before the launch of the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin.  The video, purportedly from the Crypto ‘98 conference held on Aug. 26, 1998, in Santa Barbara, shows Finney discussing in detail, the concept of zero-knowledge proof s — a cryptographic technology that gained immense popularity decades later. ️ NEW: Bitcoin legend Hal Finney discusses Zero-Knowledge Proofs in a newly unearthed presentation, made 25 years ago at Crypto '98 in Santa Barbara. Have you ever heard @halfin's voice before? pic.twitter.com/HdddworTsg — Trust Machines (@trustmachinesco) September 20, 2023 Finney explains how one could hypothetically perform a zero-knowledge proof on a SHA-1 hash, describing the possibility ...

The next generation of crypto mining will focus on alternative energy sources for efficiency. During the 2021 bull market, many large mining companies took on massive loans to buy equipment and the proper infrastructure required to mine cryptocurrency. Yet the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and Celsius left many of these companies filing for bankruptcy.  The current bear market, coupled with high Bitcoin network hash rates and low profits, has yet again left the crypto industry wondering if miners will be able to recover from losses. While this remains questionable, it’s become evident that mining companies today are focusing more on alternative energy resources to cut costs, ensure profits and, in some cases, reduce their environmental impact. Alternative energy sources used by miners Steven Lubka, managing director for Bitcoin-focused financial services company Swan Bitcoin, told Cointelegraph that while the average rate to mine a single Bitcoin (BTC) is around $26,000, mining com...

Discover the five basic principles of finance to improve your financial literacy, including, time value of money, risk management, compounding and more. Learning the principles of finance is essential for managing personal and business finances, making informed investment decisions and understanding the economy. Here are five basic principles of finance that you should know. Time value of money This principle suggests that a dollar received today is worth more than a dollar received in the future due to the potential to earn interest or investment returns. It is the foundation of many financial decisions, including investment strategies and loan repayment plans. For example, if an investor bought 1 Bitcoin (BTC) for $10,000 in 2017 and held onto it until 2021, when its value reached $50,000, the investor would have earned a return of 400% on their initial investment. This demonstrates the time value of money, as the investor was able to earn a significant return by holding onto their...

Data science careers tend to have high salaries — often over six figures — as the demand for skilled professionals in this field continues to grow. Data science plays a critical role in supporting decision-making processes by providing insights and recommendations based on data analysis. In order to create new products, services and procedures, businesses can use data science to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behavior, market trends and corporate performance. By giving businesses a competitive edge in the market through better decision-making, increased consumer involvement and more efficient corporate processes, it enables companies to achieve a competitive advantage. The demand for data science experts is rising quickly, opening up new possibilities for development on both a personal and professional level. Here are five high-paying careers in data science. Data scientist A Data scientist is a specialist who draws conclusions and knowledge from both structured and unstructu...

Decentralized file-sharing services that Big Tech companies can’t control are the only way internet users will be able to maintain their freedom in the years ahead. While censorship resistance and privacy are not the same thing, they are closely intertwined. When the government or another entity, such as an advertiser, can track everything you do, they can also sanction you for bad behavior. Instead of working backward to try and cover up seismic cracks in Web2 with duct tape, it may be time to move full speed ahead on ensuring these same mistakes don’t happen in Web3. By being proactive, the purported internet of the future could actually protect our private information and prevent overzealous or oppressive censorship before these issues become unmanageable. Using crypto to deliver the message In countries fighting for human rights and civil liberties, suppressing free speech and outward communication complicates the struggle against oppressive regimes. This is where the encryption ...

The firm sparked controversy last month after disclosing MetaMask's data collection practices. In a privacy update published Dec. 6, ConsenSys, the developer of the popular MetaMask browser wallet, said it would reduce its retention of user data such as wallet addresses and IP addresses to seven days. Previously on Nov. 24, ConsenSys updated its privacy policy to clarify how Infura, or MetaMask's default Remote Procedure Call (RPC), works with user data such as including IP addresses. The revelation sparked controversy in the crypto community regarding privacy concerns, leading the firm to clarify that IP addresses collected through MetaMask will not be monetized or "exploited."  We are committed to protecting the privacy of MetaMask users. Last month, the ConsenSys privacy policy update raised questions and misconceptions. We heard you, went to work, and would like to share some important clarifications and updates https://t.co/5HGlWFuIEq — MetaMask (@MetaMa...

The revision seeks to remove nonfungible tokens from Malta's Virtual Financial Assets Framework. The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) is currently reviewing requests to revise the “ regulatory treatment” of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) within its Virtual Financial Assets Framework.  Under the current regulatory framework, NFTs are included within the scope of the Virtual Financial Assets Act, which also includes virtual tokens, virtual financial assets, electronic money, and all financial instruments built, or dependent on, Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). However, the MFSA is proposing to have NFTs removed from the Virtual Financial Assets framework since they’re unique and nonfungible and therefore incapable of being used as payments for goods and services, or for investment purposes.  According to the MFSA, “the inclusion of such assets within the scope of the VFA framework may run counter to the spirit of the Act, which sought to regulate investment-type services...

The crypto community has come across an AI-powered chatbot that can be used to audit smart contracts and expose vulnerabilities. The online crypto community has discovered a new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot that can either be used to warn developers of Smart Contracts vulnerabilities or teach hackers how to exploit them.  ChatGPT, a chatbot tool built by AI research company OpenAI, was released on Nov. 30 and was designed to interact “in a conversational way” with the ability to answer follow-up questions and even admit mistakes, according to the company. However, some Twitter users have come to realize that the Bot could potentially be used for both good and evil, as it can be prompted to reveal loopholes in smart contracts. Stephen Tong, co-founder of smart contract auditing firm Zellic asked ChatGPT to help find an exploit , presenting a piece of smart contract code. OMG WTF pic.twitter.com/I2hE0e5ppq — cts (@gf_256) December 1, 2022 The bot responded by no...

"Unlike some cryptocurrencies using blockchain technology, the EIB's blockchain bond issues do not lead to extensive energy use," the bank wrote. According to a new press release on Nov. 29, the European Investment Bank, or EIB, issued a first-ever euro-denominated €100 million digital bond on a private blockchain-underpinned platform with tokenization help from Goldman Sachs. The latter, along with Société Générale Luxembourg, also act as the on-chain custodians for the financial instrument. The bond bears interest at a coupon rate of 2.57% per year with a maturity date of Nov. 29, 2024, and is governed by Luxembourger laws.  Banque de France and the Banque Centrale du Luxembourg participated in the project to provide a digital representation of euro central bank money. The EIB says that "the transaction paves the way for future on-chain derivative solutions, by using the first interest rate swap hedge represented through the industry-developed common domain mode...