Latest Blockchain News: Finextra Research

Financial industry giants join $50m Digital Asset Holdings funding round

Digital Asset Holdings, the blockchain startup helmed by former JP Morgan luminary Blythe Masters, has raised more than $50 million in a funding round joined by some of the biggest names in financial services, including Citi, Deutsche Börse and Santander InnoVentures. One of the investors, the ASX, has also handed Digital Asset a contract to design a post-trade settlement system using distributed ledger technology.

21 January 2016

News/Blockchain

PwC establishes blockchain team

Professional services giant PwC has set up a blockchain team at its Belfast office as it seeks to exploit and commercialise the technology behind cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

21 January 2016

News/Blockchain

International co-operation essential to manage virtual currency risks - IMF

Virtual currencies and their underlying technologies are seen as a important advance for the financial services sector, but achieving a balanced regulatory framework that guards against risks without suffocating innovation is a challenge that will require extensive international co-operation, says the International Monetary Forum (IMF) in a report presented during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos.

21 January 2016

News/Blockchain

Dutch cops arrest 10 over bitcoin money laundering scheme

Dutch authorities have arrested 10 men accused of using bitcoin to launder up to EUR20 million made from selling drugs online.

20 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

Wall Street Blockchain Alliance adds Catherine Wood to executive committee

The Wall Street Blockchain Alliance (WSBA) has announced that Catherine Wood will be joining the trade group Executive Committee.

20 January 2016

News/Blockchain

R3 runs blockchain proof-of-concept with eleven banks

Bank-backed blockchain collaboration outfit R3 has announced the completion of a distributed ledger experiment involving eleven of the world's largest financial institutions.

20 January 2016

News/Blockchain

It's time to take a stand against all the blockchain crap out there

With the blockchain hype machine at full throttle, David Birch of Consult Hyperion pleads for some rationality in the reporting and discussions of the shared ledger concept and its associated technologies.

20 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

Kraken to acquire Coinsetter and Cavirtex

Global bitcoin exchange Kraken today announced that they are acquiring major exchanges Coinsetter and Cavirtex.

19 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

BitGo debuts instant bitcoin transactions

BitGo Inc. is today announcing the launch of BitGo Instant, the world’s first way to safely receive zero-confirm Bitcoin transactions with a full financial guarantee.

19 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

UK government office for science calls for blockchain investment

In a major report on distributed ledgers published today (19 January 2016), the Government Chief Scientist, Sir Mark Walport, sets out how this technology could transform the delivery of public services and boost productivity.

19 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

BTL launches blockchain remittance platform

BTL Group LTD - (TSX VENTURE:BTL) ("BTL" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has been invited to showcase its blockchain technology at the BC Tech Summit, January 18th & 19th, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

18 January 2016

News/Blockchain

Digital Asset Holdings opens London office; hires more bankers

Digital Asset Holdings, the blockchain startup helmed by former JP Morgan luminary Blythe Masters, has brought onboard more banking heavyweights and opened a London office.

15 January 2016

News/Blockchain

SXSW goes fintech

Fintech geeks will join music and movie stars in Austin, Texas, this year after the SXSW festival and conference invited a host of startups aiming to disrupt the financial services world to take part in an accelerator pitch-off competition.

15 January 2016

News/Blockchain

Fintech comes to Davos

Fintech will be high on the agenda at this year's World Economic Forum jamboree in Davos, as senior bankers take to the stage to discuss the digital convulsion hitting their industry, and smaller startups stalk the halls.

13 January 2016

News/Blockchain

Royal Canadian Mint offloads MintChip digital currency assets

The Royal Canadian Mint has offloaded its MintChip cloud-based digital currency to Toronto startup nanoPay, which plans to commercially deploy the technology within weeks.

12 January 2016

News/Blockchain

Earthport creates single API for access to distributed ledgers

UK-based payment network Earthport has launched a single API to connect banks to Ripple's distributed ledger protocol when processing cross-border payments.

12 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

GFT launches Blockchain app for commodities

GFT, the leading provider of advisory, business consulting, IT and software services has launched its commodities consensus computing prototype for clients, which demonstrates how it is possible to track physical commodities assets through the use of a distributed ledger-based business model.

07 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

Indian bitcoin firm Zebpay raises $1m

Zebpay, India’s first bitcoin company announces $1 million in series A funding, led by private equity investors. The funding is aimed at further escalating the company’s already impressive growth and customer service success.

06 January 2016

Company update/Blockchain

Gem leads blockchain investment for 2016 securing $7.1M in series A funding

Gem, a leading blockchain platform provider, announces today that it has closed $7.1 million in Series A funding, led by Pelion Venture Partners and participated in by KEC Ventures, Blockchain Capital, Digital Currency Group, RRE Ventures and more.

06 January 2016

News/Blockchain

Accenture shortlists 15 for London Innovation Lab

Blockchain technology, cognitive computing and biometric security feature among the shortlisted applications selected to participate in Accenture’s 2016 FinTech Innovation Lab London.

06 January 2016