Category Archives: Allgemein

c= to Provide Lightning Network Infrastructure with Block’s Bitcoin Treasury

• TBD, a subsidiary of Jack Dorsey’s Block, has announced a new Lightning Network business called c=.
• The purpose of the company is to provide infrastructure using bitcoin from Block’s treasury to make bitcoin’s Lightning Network more usable and reliable for developers, businesses and users.
• c= will build infrastructure and provide liquidity to enable transactions, collaborate with developers and offer APIs and services.

TBD Announces New Business: c=

TBD, a Bitcoin-focused subsidiary of Jack Dorsey’s Block, has announced a new Lightning Network business called c=. The purpose of the company is to “provide infrastructure using bitcoin from Block’s treasury to make bitcoin’s Lightning Network more usable and reliable for developers, businesses (such as merchants that accept Lightning payments), and those businesses’ end consumers,” according to a press release sent to Bitcoin Magazine.

Purpose of Company

The release explains that the Lightning Network is still growing, and that transactions often fail due to liquidity shortfalls. In order to address that, “c= will build infrastructure using the bitcoin it is committing to the network so that businesses and wallets can make their Lightning transactions more reliable and dependable.”

Services Offered

For Lightning node operators, c= states that it will provide liquidity to enable transactions and “collaborate with developers to provide more efficient routing and liquidity to node operators via APIs and services.” Nick Slaney, lead at c= told Bitcoin Magazine “We’re excited to use the bitcoin in our treasury to grow the Lightning Network and our company in a mutually beneficial way.”

Background Information

In 2022 when Square was renamed into Block Mike Brock explained how TBD’s mission was “to bridge the old with the new … We are building a new open-source company from the ground up focused on open protocols and open standards that all participants in economy can benefit from”. Since then they have explored Bitcoin-based decentralized web services including DIDs (decentralized identifiers), decentralized web nodes etc. Now they have entered into Bitcoin’s second layer scaling protocol which means they have major presence in Lightning Infrastructure.

Conclusion

This move by TBD will help increase usage of Lightning Networks as it provides many useful services like providing liquidity enabling transactions or collaborating with developers via APIs among others. This could be very helpful for businesses or individuals running a lightning node who can gain efficiencies without relying on intermediaries

Bitcoin Fixes the Inefficiencies of Our Coercive Fiat System

• Tim Niemeyer is an elementary school teacher and co-host of the Lincolnland Bitcoin Meetup. He has developed a unique perspective on how our coercive fiat monetary system incentivizes less-than-optimal decision making and substandard relational habits.
• He believes that Bitcoin fixes these issues by providing sound money that is not controlled by the whims of those in power.
• He also observes that helicopter parenting is a result of living in a fiat system, as it allows humans to impose their morals onto the money supply.

My Perspective as an Educator

I’m a teacher by day and a passionate Bitcoiner by night. Teaching elementary music has helped me develop a deeper appreciation for both passions, while my experience with Bitcoin has given me insight into the educational system. I firmly believe that living in a fiat monetary system incentivizes less-than-optimal decision making and substandard relational habits, while Bitcoin can fix these issues by providing sound money that is not controlled by any one person or group.

The Emergence of Helicopter Parents

In my almost two decades as an educator, I have noticed the emergence of helicopter parents. WebMD lists signs such as fighting battles for their child, doing schoolwork for them, coaching their coaches, keeping them on short leashes, playing it too safe and not letting them fail – all behaviors which are likely caused by living in a coercive fiat monetary system which encourages high time preference actions from its participants. Despite this, I still believe most parents are good people who simply don’t see the long-term benefits of sound money outside of politics or special interests groups.

The Effects on Education

These behaviors have had serious repercussions on education; from micromanaging children’s homework and activities to pressuring teachers to give higher grades than they should be awarded – it’s clear that something needs to change if we want to ensure students receive quality instruction and guidance during their formative years. Unfortunately, too often students are being treated like commodities instead of individuals with unique goals and aspirations; this further reinforces the idea that education is only seen as valuable when it brings immediate rewards rather than striving for long term success or personal growth gained through failure or adversity.

What Can We Do?

It’s important to be aware that choosing red or blue won’t provide systemic change due to our current political structure – what we need instead is real solutions outside of this binary paradigm which will allow us to create lasting positive change without compromising individual freedoms or liberties. Enter Bitcoin: A decentralized digital currency with no central authority which offers sound money backed up by math rather than governments or politicians – something which could potentially revolutionize our current educational infrastructure and provide more equitable opportunities for everyone regardless of class or privilege levels!

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe our current monetary system creates incentives which lead to subpar decision making and detrimental behaviors; however, adopting technologies like Bitcoin can help us break away from these limitations while fostering more equitable conditions within society at large! Additionally, understanding how economics affects our everyday lives can go along way towards creating meaningful solutions for the future – so let’s start talking about how we can use cryptocurrency (and other emerging techs) responsibly today!

Investing Wisely: Bitcoin and Talmudic Teachings

• The article examines the idea of allocating one’s wealth into three parts, based on Talmudic teachings.
• It suggests that dividing funds into land, cash on hand and risky assets is a wise investment strategy.
• The author illustrates how this strategy can be successfully implemented in our modern world with Bitcoin.

The Talmudic Approach to Investment

The article examines the idea of allocating one’s wealth into three parts, based on Talmudic teachings. The Gemara, a part of the Talmud provides investment advice which states that investments should be divided in thirds: a third in land, a third in merchandise and a third ready to hand. This would create a diversified portfolio and is seen as an effective way to protect one’s wealth and increase their long-term returns.

Modern Application Of Ancient Wisdom

The author suggests that while these ancient strategies may seem outdated or irrelevant today, they can still offer valuable insight when it comes to investing. He reflects upon how Bitcoin might even be backed by these same Talmudic teachings and implies that it could be used as part of this traditional Jewish investment portfolio today.

Real Estate: A Stable Portion Of Your Portfolio

Land or any other type of real estate is considered to be an ideal source for wealth preservation due its stability and growth potential. According to estimates from 2022-2031, real estate markets are expected to grow at a 10.7% compound annual growth rate – making it an attractive option for investors looking for stability over time.

Cryptocurrency As A Risky Asset

Bitcoin has become increasingly popular amongst investors as its value has skyrocketed over the last few years – resulting in many people turning to cryptocurrencies as a risky asset within their portfolios. Despite its volatility compared to other assets such as real estate, cryptocurrency still offers significant opportunities for those who want higher returns over the long run while taking calculated risks with their investments

Conclusion

This article explores how ancient wisdom found in the Talmud can still be applied today when managing your finances – specifically through diversifying your assets into thirds between land/real estate, cash on hand and risky assets such as cryptocurrency which offer higher returns but also come with more risk attached. By utilizing this strategy alongside modern technology like Bitcoin, you can maximize your profits while minimizing your losses over time!

Genesis Reaches Restructuring Deal With Key Creditors

Summary of Genesis Restructuring Agreement

  • Genesis has reached a restructuring agreement with key creditors that involves the sale of Genesis Global Trading.
  • This deal includes two tranches, one denominated in U.S. dollars and another denominated in Bitcoin.
  • Gemini will contribute up to $100 million more for the recovery for Earn users who still do not have access to their funds.

Genesis Reaches Restructuring Agreement With Creditors

Genesis, a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group (DCG), has reached a restructuring agreement with key creditors according to statements by Cleary Gottlieb attorney Sean O’Neal, representing Genesis. The agreement would see the sale of Genesis Global Trading, amongst other moves designed to “maximize the recoveries to the estate.” It also involves restructurings of the debt DCG owes to Genesis Holdco, which was one of the legal entities that previously filed for Chapter 11 protection.

Terms Involved in Agreement

The terms involved in this agreement include a second lien term loan facility with a maturation date of June 2024 and two tranches – one dominated in U.S. dollars that will pay 11.5% interest and another denominated in bitcoin that will pay 5% interest. Additionally, DCG has agreed to issue a type of convertible preferred stock though specifics are still being determined.

Cause Of Action

The lending arm of Genesis was forced to halt withdrawals in November 2022 after suffering contagion from the collapse of crypto exchange FTX earlier that same month. As such, they filed for bankruptcy last month with their lawyers stating then that they anticipate reaching an agreement with creditors by the end of January 2023. This collapse also led to frozen withdrawals for Gemini Earn users who received yield through arrangements with Genesis’ lending arm.

Gemini’s Contributions To Recovery Efforts

Twitter Prepping for Crypto Payments? Elon Musk Open to Bitcoin Option

  • Twitter is reportedly in the process of getting regulatory licenses to facilitate payments through its platform.
  • Elon Musk has expressed interest in adding cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, as a payment option for Twitter’s “super app” concept.
  • The company previously tested “tipping” with Bitcoin Lightning Network and allowed users to add their Bitcoin address for direct tips.

Twitter Prepping For Payments

According to a Financial Times report, Twitter is applying for regulatory licenses across the U.S. in preparation to begin facilitating payments through the app. People close to the company stated that Twitter “has started to map out the architecture needed to facilitate payments on the platform with a small team” which could potentially include functionality for cryptocurrency payments.

Elon Musk Open To Adding BTC & Crypto

Elon Musk has expressed his interest in adding cryptocurrency and bitcoin as part of Twitter’s payment vision, however he wants fiat payments prioritized first. This isn’t surprising considering his previous acceptance of bitcoin for Tesla electric vehicles only later retracted due to environmental concerns.

“Super App” Vision

Musk has firmly reiterated since taking over of Twitter that he wants it become more of a generalized “super app” with multifunctionality approach which would benefit greatly from the increased functionality of cheap and instantaneous payments using platforms like bitcoin lightning network.

“Tipping” Tested With Bitcoin Lightning Network

In order to test this idea, Twitter previously implemented “tipping” via Jack Mallers’ Strike with ability added later on allowing users to add their own Bitcoin address directly receive their tips.

Twitter’s potential integration of crypto into its payment system is exciting news both for cryptocurrencies and social media giants alike – although nothing is confirmed yet, this could signal future progress towards increased adoption and usage of digital assets within mainstream applications such as social media platforms.

Black Investors: Lessons from Bitcoin and the Crypto Market

• Bitcoin has seen increased investment from a notable number of black Americans in the late 2010s.
• The crypto market crash in 2021 saw many cryptocurrency investors suffer financially, including Black Americans.
• Despite this setback, there is still strong interest from the Black community to discover financial autonomy through Bitcoin.

Bitcoin’s Growing Appeal Amongst Black Investors

Bitcoin has become increasingly popular among African American investors due to its blockchain technology, which provides an immutable record of transactions, and its record-high prices. Many black Americans invested their Covid-19 stimulus checks into bitcoin during this period, which led to a significant increase in cryptocurrency ownership within the African American community.

The Crypto Bubble Crash

Unfortunately, following this period of growth for bitcoin investments amongst black Americans, the overall crypto market began to shrink as digital currencies entered into a winter market. This led to billions of dollars being lost by cryptocurrency holders across all demographics but was especially costly for Black Americans who had grown their holdings over time.

Financial Inclusion Through Bitcoin

Despite the losses incurred by many African American cryptocurrency holders due to the crypto crash, there is still strong interest from the Black community in discovering financial autonomy through bitcoin investments. This is because small-dollar investors from historically marginalized communities can purchase BTC on digital platforms without a credit check – something that may be difficult or impossible with other asset classes.

Lessons Learned From Black Investors

Black investors can teach us important lessons about investing in any field regardless if you’re investing in bitcoin or not – such as having an understanding of risks and rewards associated with any asset class and doing your research before making investments decisions.

Conclusion

As more people become aware of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, it’s essential that we don’t forget those who were among its earliest adopters – namely members of the Black community who believed early on in its potential and invested accordingly despite facing greater financial risks than others due to systemic racism and inequality still prevalent today.

Julia’s Journey: From Germany to Portugal, Bitcoin & Homesteading

• Julia is a German who moved to Portugal when she was 19 and decided to stay.
• She has built a local community and Bitcoin meetup in her area and operates a homestead that feeds her family.
• Julia talks about the similarities between Bitcoin and homesteading, such as the high upfront investment and low time preference.

Julia is a German woman who moved to Southern Portugal when she was 19 and decided to stay. Now, she has built a strong local community in her area and even a Bitcoin meetup. In addition to this, Julia operates a homestead that feeds her family.

When discussing her experiences with Bitcoin and homesteading, Julia notes the many similarities between the two. Both activities require a high upfront investment and a low time preference. Julia remarks that the work of understanding and working on Bitcoin or a farm is not easy, and it takes dedication and commitment.

Julia’s journey to Portugal began when she was 19 and wanted to explore the world and find work opportunities. She found a job in Portugal and decided to stay, and her parents and brothers eventually joined her. This marks the beginning of her family’s journey in Portugal, and they have not returned to Germany since then.

The local community that Julia has built in Portugal is strong and vibrant. In addition to her local connections, she has also started a Bitcoin meetup in her area. She believes that this meetup has been beneficial for her and her community, as it has allowed them to learn more about Bitcoin and its implications.

The homestead that Julia operates is another big part of her life. It is her own little piece of paradise and provides her family with food. Julia talks about the similarities between running a homestead and Bitcoin, such as the high upfront investment and the low time preference. She points out that managing a homestead and understanding Bitcoin both require dedication and hard work.

Overall, Julia’s experience in Portugal has been a positive one. She has been able to build a strong local community, start a Bitcoin meetup, and operate a homestead that feeds her family. She also notes the similarities between Bitcoin and homesteading, and the dedication and commitment required to manage either one. Julia’s journey has been a testament to the power of resilience and determination.

A 2.1 BTC Prize Awaits: Join Fedi’s Bitcoin Hackathon for its 14th Birthday!

• Fedi, a tech company, is launching a Bitcoin hackathon with a 2.1 BTC prize for the winner in celebration of Bitcoin’s 14th birthday.
• The bounty is open ended, meaning developers can code the functionality they want, but are incentivized to work on what would drive the most impact.
• Fedimint is an open source custody platform that allows users to store their bitcoin, extend its functionality with privacy, smart contracts, and more.

Fedi, a technology company focused on building a Fedimint-based community custody platform, is holding a Bitcoin hackathon in celebration of Bitcoin’s 14th birthday. The hackathon will offer a 2.1 BTC prize to the winner. The bounty is open ended, meaning developers are free to develop any type of functionality, but are incentivized to work on projects that will drive the most impact, such as modules that would enable a communal savings pool, storing value in a local currency, receiving payments privately via static QR codes or links, or operating a communal vote based spending pool.

Fedimint is an open source custody platform that allows users to safely store their bitcoin, as well as extend its functionality with privacy, smart contracts, and more. It is based on the concept of second-party custody, which involves trusting family members or friends with the custody of one’s bitcoin. This improves the trust and security models inherent in classic centralized third-party custody solutions. Additionally, it leverages Federated Chaumian Ecash, which means users gain privacy. In a nutshell, Fedimint wallets have the potential to bring strong privacy to Bitcoin users with better security than third-party custody setups, and more ease of use than fully-fledged self-custody solutions.

According to Obi Nwosu, Fedi CEO, “At Fedi, we believe that Fedimint will become the ideal open platform for the delivery of consensus-based applications on the internet. Bitcoin was created to offer a decentralised form of money, and Fedimint intends to expand on that original vision with a platform that allows users to take full advantage of the technology. We are excited to see what developers are able to create with the platform, and are looking forward to seeing the innovative ideas that come out of the hackathon.”

The hackathon is open to all developers, and participants are encouraged to share their ideas and work with the Fedi team to ensure their projects meet the requirements for the prize. Participants will also be able to access resources from the Fedi team, and take advantage of an active community of developers and experts who are already working on the platform.

By launching this hackathon, Fedi hopes to encourage developers to build out a Fedimint module that will help bring real world benefits to users, while also fostering a community of developers who are passionate about bitcoin, blockchain, and distributed ledger technologies.

Bitcoin Reaches Turning Point: Global South to Lead Adoption in 2023

• Bitcoin had a defining year in 2022 and is at a turning point.
• The Global South will continue to lead Bitcoin adoption, with further increases in Ghana and Nigeria predicted in 2023.
• The divide between Bitcoin and the rest will grow, as Bitcoin is backed by human work and has proven its utility.

Bitcoin has had a defining year in 2022, and is now at a turning point. With all eyes on the cryptocurrency, it is our responsibility to educate people and governments about the real-life use cases of Bitcoin, which will allow money to flow freely and include billions more into the global economy. While the bear market continues, trade volume in Africa is still increasing, and this is due to the necessity for Bitcoin on the continent. It offers a cheaper and more efficient solution for people to send money back home, make payments and preserve their wealth, and this does not change with market conditions.

The Global South will continue to lead Bitcoin adoption in 2023, with further increases in Ghana and Nigeria predicted. This was highlighted at the Africa Bitcoin Conference in Ghana, which brought together pan-Africa and international leaders to discuss the purpose of Bitcoin over its price. This inspired the team at the Built With Bitcoin Foundation to open the Bitcoin Technology Center (BTC) in Kumasi, Ghana, which aims to educate 400 people in its first year.

The divide between Bitcoin and the rest will only increase, as Bitcoin is backed by human work and has proven its utility. This is why Bitcoin is such a revolutionary asset, and why it will continue to expand its reach and impact in the coming years. This expansion will be driven by the people and businesses that continue to recognize the value of Bitcoin and its ability to create a more inclusive and efficient global economy.

Russia Moves to Allow International Trade in Cryptocurrency

• Russia’s Congressional finance committee chairman, Anatoly Aksakov, said the country is moving to greenlight international trade in cryptocurrency within the next month.
• The circulation of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment on the territory of Russia will be prohibited but will be allowed for foreign trade transactions.
• Russia laid out a roadmap for bitcoin regulation in January 2022 and the Ministry of Finance submitted a proposal in the following month.

Russia is taking steps to make cryptocurrency a viable payment option for international trade, with the country’s Congressional finance committee chairman, Anatoly Aksakov, saying that the greenlight will be given within the next month.

The idea of allowing the use of cryptocurrencies in foreign trade activities has been gaining traction in the Russian government since last year, when the US imposed sanctions against the country. In response, Russia proposed a roadmap for bitcoin regulation that was submitted to the Ministry of Finance in January 2022.

Aksakov has stated that while the use of cryptocurrencies will be allowed for foreign trade purposes, the circulation of such assets as a means of payment on the territory of Russia will be prohibited. He further highlighted that liability will be prescribed in this regard.

The country is hoping that this move will bring greater economic freedom, enabling citizens to pay for imports with cryptocurrencies. It is also seen as a means of avoiding the impact of Western sanctions and other economic obstacles, as well as reducing the risk of currency fluctuations.

Russia is not the only country to be exploring the use of cryptocurrencies in international trade. Several countries, including the US, have been looking into the possibility of allowing the use of digital assets as a payment option.

However, there are still a number of regulatory and legal issues that need to be addressed before cryptocurrencies can be used as a viable payment option. With the Russian government pushing forward with its plans, there is hope that the country will be able to create a framework that will allow the safe and secure use of cryptocurrencies in the near future.