Crypto Mining

China has declared all financial transactions involving cryptocurrencies illegal and is issuing a nationwide ban on cryptocurrency mining. Does this make crypto illegal in China? Not exactly. What does this mean for the crypto markets worldwide? What about the US? How will US crypto be regulated? Are cryptocurrencies considered securities? What about other digital assets? Welcome to the crazy, confused world of crypto regulation. Continue Reading →

Are you wondering why it is taking so long for blockchain to become as ubiquitous as AI or IoT? One of the biggest stumbling blocks (pardon the pun) is that Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and the vast majority of other blockchains are proprietary ecosystems (walled gardens) that cannot easily share data or exchange value with other blockchains. This is not a new problem, but there are new, well-funded solutions emerging with exciting roadmaps that point to explosive growth in the near-term. Here’s a quick overview of some projects that have my attention. Continue Reading →

Cybersecurity firm NortonLifeLock will add a cryptocurrency mining feature to its Norton 360 platform. The test group of customers will be able to mine ether (ETH), the second most popular cryptocurrency after bitcoin (BTC). Continue Reading →

The moment comes when you realize there's real money in your crypto wallet and you start wondering about hackers and ransomware and all kinds of bad stuff. If you've set up a digital wallet, bought some crypto, and collected a few NFTs and you're starting to trade across a range of marketplaces and exchanges, you are starting to experience the exceptional financial freedom the world of DeFi has to offer. Of course, there's a catch… Now, you're also in charge of guarding the treasury. Continue Reading →

Dfinity launched Internet Computer last week, and ICP, its cryptocurrency, already has a market cap of over $30 billion. This article is not about the value of owning ICP or how or why you may or may not want to trade crypto. I'm not going to offer any financial advice here. What interests me is how strongly Dfinity's vision aligns with my essay Tales from under the Merkle Tree. In the essay, I ask you to imagine a world powered by decentralized apps (Dapps), where currencies are traded on decentralized exchanges (DEXs), and people transact business on distributed ledgers (aka blockchains). I also suggested that the future I asked you to envision "is literally just months away." I was wrong. It's happening right now. Or is it? Continue Reading →

Every profession is a conspiracy against the laity, and the world of crypto is no exception. It is in that spirit, I offer this glossary of terms that will make you sound as if you are completely informed and up-to-date when discussing your next crypto project. Continue Reading →

Crypto prices and NFTs are hogging the headlines, but they are just the most visible components of a rapidly growing decentralized financial system (DeFi) that has the potential to significantly challenge how we buy, sell, and trade just about everything. Blockchain and cryptocurrency may seem like a new thing, but they have been around for over 10 years. The problem is that the world of crypto can be very confusing with all the jargon, acronyms, and other unfamiliar words. This brief overview will introduce you to some of the basic areas through a series of links to the most prominent organizations, platforms, and toolsets. Continue Reading →

We’re in the middle of a cryptocurrency bubble and an NFT (non-fungible token) craze. For context, the price of a Bitcoin (BTC) is bubbling around $56,000. The price of an Ether (ETH) is just over $1,700. That sounds bubbly, but this column is not about financial advice. I’m going to teach you, step by step, how to build a very small cryptocurrency mining operation so you can get a deeper understanding of the process. Continue Reading →

Blockchain is the underlying technology that powers bitcoin, altcoins (other cryptocurrencies), NFTs, smart contracts and DAOs. Distributed ledgers, the term of art for blockchain’s underlying technology, offer a way to transact business without relying on a central authority. Here’s a nontechnical, simplified description of the component parts. Continue Reading →