Latest Blockchain News: Finextra Research

Blockchain and bond market trading win out in BBVA London startup contest

Two London-based fintech start-ups - Everledger, which uses the blockchain to record ownership of valuables, and Origin Markets, a platform which directly connects corporate bond issuers with institutional investors - have won the 2015 BBVA Open Talent Europe final.

24 September 2015

News/Blockchain

Swiss fintech incubator Fusion ignites with first intake

Swiss fintech incubator Fusion has selected the first ten startups to join a 12-month accelerator scheme, having ploughed through over 100 applications from aspiring companies working in traditional Swiss strongholds such as asset and wealth management, insurance, and commodity trading.

24 September 2015

Company update/Blockchain

21 ships first bitcoin computer

Today we’re announcing a new kind of device for sale: the 21 Bitcoin Computer, the first computer with native hardware and software support for the Bitcoin protocol.

23 September 2015

News/Blockchain

Competition watchdog urged to probe Oz bank 'collusion' in bitcoin shutdown

Queensland National Senator Matthew Canavan has called on Australia's competition watchdog to investigate the actions of the nation's banks in refusing to handle the accounts of bitcoin startups across the country.

23 September 2015

Company update/Blockchain

Smart contract startup Stampery to debut at Tech Crunch Disrupt

Stampery has been chosen to participate in the main tech event in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, the “Tech Crunch Disrupt” Battlefield.

23 September 2015

News/Blockchain

Circle granted first BitLicense

Bitcoin startup Circle has become the first firm to be granted a BitLicense from New York state's financial watchdog.

22 September 2015

News/Blockchain

Large banks could save $4bn per annum by creating a trade processing utility - Broadridge

Large banks could save up $4 billion each year by adopting a shared utility model for trade processing, according to a study by Broadridge.

22 September 2015

News/Blockchain

BofA files for cryptocurrency-based wire transfer system patent

Bank of America has filed a US patent application for a system and method that uses cryptocurrency technology for wire transfers.

22 September 2015

Finextra TV/Blockchain

Taking the costs out of forex

Nik Storonsky, founder and CEO of Revolut, addresses the high costs of hidden credit card fees abroad and the importance of increasing the number of users in foreign exchange platforms to reduce bank trading charges.

21 September 2015

Company update/Blockchain

BTCS and Spondoolies-Tech sign merger agreement

BTCS Inc. (OTCQB: BTCS) ("BTCS" or the "Company") and Spondoolies-Tech Ltd. ("Spondoolies") have entered into a definitive merger agreement.

21 September 2015

Company update/Blockchain

New bitcoin product launch on Nasdaq by XBT Provider

XBT Provider AB (publ) announced today the launch of Bitcoin Tracker EUR, a bitcoin-based security denominated in Euro.

21 September 2015

News/Blockchain

BofE's Haldane suggests ditching cash for cryptocurrency

The Bank of England's chief economist has floated the prospect of abolishing paper cash and replacing it with a state-backed digital currency as a way of facilitating negative interest rates.

18 September 2015

News/Blockchain

CFTC institutes first action against bitcoin options trader

In its first action against an unregistered bitcoin options trading platform, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in the US has ruled that virtual currencies are a commodity and as such should come under the purview of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).

18 September 2015

News/Blockchain

BitPay loses $1.8m in phishing attack

BitPay lost $1.8 million in a phishing attack late last year, according to lawsuit filed by the bitcoin payment processing firm against an insurer it is trying to get to cover some of the losses.

17 September 2015

News/Blockchain

Nine banks back blockchain collaboration plan

Nine of the world's largest banks are backing an initiative to create a set of global standards for the use of distributed ledger technology in financial markets.

15 September 2015

News/Blockchain

Bitcoin money transfers and credit scoring take top spots at BBVA startup contest

A bitcoin instant money transfer system for small businesses trading with Asia and a service that allows users to build a credit score on their history of paying utility bills have been declared the winners of BBVA's Open Talent startup contest for LatAm.

15 September 2015

Finextra TV/Blockchain

Private blockchains used across industries

Nick Williamson, Founder and CEO, and Eric Benz, Founder and COO of Credits, explain the 'proof-of-stake' model and how their platform differs from private blockchain businesses.

14 September 2015

News/Blockchain

Innovate Finance and IBM to open blockchain lab

UK fintech champion Innovate Finance is to establish a blockchain lab in partnership with the Hartree Centre, the high performance computing and data analytics research facility founded by the UK Government in association with IBM.

11 September 2015

Company update/Blockchain

P2P remittance startup Abra closes Series A funding round

Abra, the company changing how people use cash and their smartphones to send and receive money around the world, announced today that it has closed its Series A financing round and has now raised over $14 million in venture financing.

10 September 2015

Company update/Blockchain

Toronto's MaRS forms fintech partnership with Brazilian innovation hub Cubo

MaRS announced today a global partnership with Cubo Coworking Itaú (“CUBO”), a new innovation hub based in São Paulo, Brazil. CUBO will be joining MaRS’ Financial Technology (“FinTech”) cluster, which connects entrepreneurs in emerging payments, peer-to-peer transactions, alternative lending and crypto-currencies with the financial services sector.

10 September 2015