#Cracking Cryptocurrency Trading Group

[crackingcryptocurrency]

Crypto Bulls Salty Tears – Friday Market Wrap Up

What a week ladies and gentlemen! Quite a bit of volatility, but our strategies, both automated and discretionary, were very successful this week. Before we begin with our end of week analysis, first let’s recap how the Cracking Cryptocurrency Trading Group performed this week.

[coinsavvy]

What’s New in Cryptocurrency Today?

The cryptocurrency market is constantly evolving, with new developments, innovations and challenges emerging every day. In this blog post, we will highlight some of the most important and interesting news stories that happened in the crypto space today.

Central Bank of Nigeria Lifts Crypto Ban Following New SEC Regulation The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reversed its ban on dealing with companies involved in digital tokens, following the introduction of a new regulatory framework by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC has classified cryptocurrencies as securities and has mandated registration and compliance for crypto service providers. This move is expected to boost the adoption and innovation of crypto in Nigeria, which is one of the largest markets for digital assets in Africa.

Bitcoin Price Prediction: BTC Dips Amid Market Moves and Satoshi Identity Revelations Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has experienced a minor dip, trading at $43,623 with a 0.83% decrease on Saturday. This shift in Bitcoin's price coincides with a rise in stocks and a decline in the dollar value as the long holiday weekend approaches. Moreover, some speculation has emerged about the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, after a website claimed to reveal his name and location. However, many experts and enthusiasts have dismissed this claim as another hoax.

People’s Bank of China Stresses on Global Regulation for Crypto and DeFi Markets China’s central bank has called on global financial authorities to regulate the digital asset and decentralized finance (DeFi) markets in its recent financial stability report. The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) has warned that crypto and DeFi pose risks to financial stability, consumer protection, anti-money laundering and cross-border capital flows. The PBoC has also reiterated its stance on cracking down on crypto mining and trading activities within its jurisdiction.

Multiple Crypto Influencers Struck By SIM Swap Attacks – Here Are The Details SIM swappers are beginning to target crypto influencers ahead of the holidays, with some taking control of their high-profile accounts on Twitter. Some include the accounts of crypto investment firm Manifold Trading and its founding partner, Jae Chung. SIM swapping is a type of cyberattack that involves transferring a victim's phone number to a new SIM card, allowing the attacker to access their online accounts. Crypto influencers are often targeted by SIM swappers who seek to steal their funds or scam their followers.

New Cryptocurrencies Listed Today And This Week | CoinMarketCap CoinMarketCap, one of the most popular platforms for tracking crypto prices and data, has added new cryptocurrencies to its list in the last 30 days. These new listings can offer a variety of opportunities for those interested in the space. Some of the new cryptocurrencies include Fluid (FLUID), Fuzion (FUZN), Aki Network (AKI), Blue Kirby (KIRBY), Felix 2.0 ETH (FELIX), SANTA CHRISTMAS INU (SANTA), Lemon Terminal (LEMON), Bonkinu (BONKINU), Grok Father (GROK FATHER), Cash Flash (CFT), Solabrador (SOBER), Solana Shib (SSHIB), analoS (ANALOS), Analysoor (ZERO), The Gm Machine (GM), Baby Bonk (BABYBONK), Eggdog (EGG), Syncus (SYNC), Baby Bob (BABYBOB), MainnetZ (NETZ), BABY CAT INU (BABYCAT), PAW (PAW), Wecan Group (WECAN), Papa Grok (PGROK), bemo staked TON (STTON), GrapeCoin (GRAPE), Bitcoin Cats (1CAT) and Eclipse Fi (ECLIP).

These are some of the most relevant and exciting news stories that happened in the crypto world today. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on this fast-paced and dynamic industry.

[ailtrahq]

Binance’s Investigations team aided Thailand Police in apprehending crypto scammers. Binance said it has assisted in over 103,000 similar requests in the last three years. The world’s largest exchange, Binance [BNB], reportedly collaborated with Thailand law enforcement officials in cracking down on criminal mafias that used cryptos to move funds. How much are 1,10,100 BNBs worth today? Binance turns investigator As per a blog post published on 3 October, Binance’s Investigations team aided the Royal Thai Police in two operations, culminating in the arrest of major participants and the confiscation of assets. Notably, the first case involved a joint operation by Binance, Royal Thai Police, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) to capture those responsible for “pig butchering” scams. The modus operandi of the group involved cultivating trust with inexperienced investors and luring them into depositing funds into fraudulent investment platforms. The scammers would then exhibit bogus earnings on the initial investments to entice customers to deposit more assets, only to make off with all the money in the end. Binance and HSI provided valuable intelligence to the Thailand Police, using which five key members of the crime syndicate were arrested. Moreover, assets worth $277 million were seized, which included luxury cars and real estate. Binance was also instrumental in exposing another large crypto scam involving transnational criminal organizations. Apart from supplying intelligence, Binance stated that it sent one of its officials to Thailand to assist with the inquiry. The operation led to a massive crackdown across different cities of the country. Eventually, luxury houses, high-end vehicles, and $440,000 in cash were recovered by the sleuths. Binance also claimed to have assisted in over 103,000 similar requests from across the globe in the last three years. Binance continues to be in legal soup Despite the above endeavors by Binance, the exchange and its CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), have faced an onslaught of legal problems in 2023. Earlier this year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued the exchange over the violation of U.S. securities laws. Is your portfolio green? Check out the BNB Profit Calculator In the latest development, a class-action suit was filed against its American arm, Binance.US and CZ, over allegations of deliberately harming its competitor, FTX, which went bankrupt last year. Binance is the world’s largest crypto exchange with a 24-hour trading volume in excess of $5 billion, per CoinGecko. Any risks to its stability could have major consequences for the cryptocurrency market as a whole.

[etiennekissborlase]

Binance Crypto Accounts Linked To Islamic State Targeted By Israel Report

Binance Crypto Accounts Linked To Islamic State Targeted By Israel – Report https://bitcoinist.com/binance-crypto-accounts-targeted-by-israel/ Documents released by Israeli counter-terrorism authorities reveal that approximately 190 cryptocurrency accounts at Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, have been confiscated since 2021. Among them were two accounts allegedly linked to the Islamic State, while dozens more were reportedly owned by Palestinian firms associated with the Islamist group Hamas. This move highlights Israel’s ongoing efforts to crack down on terrorist financing through the use of cryptocurrencies, and reinforces the importance of increased regulation and scrutiny within the industry. According to a Reuters investigation using evidence from Israeli counter-terror officials, on January 12, the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) issued documents signed by Defence Minister Yoav Gallant revealing that Israel froze two accounts held by a Palestinian man called Osama Abuoyada, who is 28 years old, that were related to the ISIS. Impairing Islamic State’s Ability To Sow Terror The NBCTF explained on its website that the seizure was made to “thwart the activity” of Islamic State and “impair its ability” to pursue its goals. Neither the value of the cryptocurrency seized nor its connection to Islamic State were disclosed in the previously unreported NBCTF document. Almost all of the roughly 200 accounts frozen belonged to three foreign exchange Palestinian enterprises operating in Gaza: Al Mutahadun, Dubai Company, and Al Wefaq Co., according to a second source. Former Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz labelled Al Mutahadun a terrorist organisation after allegations that it sent funds to the terrorist organization Hamas. Global regulators have long advocated for increased oversight of cryptocurrency trading platforms in an effort to prevent criminal activity like money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The defence minister of Israel has the authority to seize and confiscate property it believes is linked to terrorism under Israeli legislation. Israel Clamps Down On Dirty Crypto Israel’s NBCTF’s confiscations are an example of how governments are cracking down on cryptocurrency firms to thwart criminal activity. According to Hamas representative Hazem Qassem, Israel is making false accusations in order to “justify its economic war against Gaza and its people.” Hamas announced last week that it would cease accepting crypto donations due to security concerns for its benefactors. Donations made in bitcoin to the Islamic State were reportedly converted to cash using crypto trading platforms, according to a report from the U.S. Treasury last year. The Treasury did not provide details on the systems in use. Abuobayda had two Binance accounts that Israeli police froze after discovering their ties to the Islamic State. Binance Reacts Meanwhile, Binance has issued a statement in reaction to the Reuters article that raised concerns about the exchange’s compliance standards regarding the prevention and handling of terrorist financing. Binance said that a Reuters reporter had purposefully left out key details in order to conform to the company’s guidelines. A crypto exchange’s adherence to compliance can truly be assessed by its ability to identify questionable deposits and the measures it implements to address them, Binance said. “With regard to the specific organizations mentioned in the article, it’s important to clarify that bad actors don’t register accounts under the names of their criminal enterprises. This is why our team collaborates with law enforcement, and leverages information that is only available to them in order to identify individuals operating accounts for illegal organizations,” Binance said. -Featured image from Getty via Bitcoinist.com https://bitcoinist.com May 05, 2023 at 12:35PM

[thesecrettimes]

Russian Darknet Markets, Ransomware Groups Thrive Despite Sanctions, Report

Russian marketplaces on the dark web have continued to operate despite Western sanctions and efforts to shut them down, according to a report accessing the illicit blockchain space amid the world’s “first crypto war.” Ransomware actors and high-risk crypto exchanges have also remained active.

Underground Russian Crypto Platforms Adapting to Disruptions Caused by Ukraine War

Before Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, cryptocurrency exchanges linked to the two countries accounted for over half of the international volumes of illicit crypto funds. Cybercrime organizations were full of Russian-speaking members and Russian-language darknet markets (DNMs) dominated the global drugs trade in cryptocurrency, TRM Labs noted in a new report. Over the past year, the blockchain intelligence firm analyzed changes in the illicit crypto ecosystem to find out how cybercriminals are adjusting to the financial, political, and logistical disruptions caused by the conflict. The company describes the latter as “the world’s first crypto war,” with the two sides relying on donations in digital assets to fund their military and humanitarian campaigns and the West trying to limit the opportunities for Moscow to use coins to bypass restrictions. When the war broke out, Western governments and law enforcement agencies went after Russia-linked DNMs, ransomware syndicates and crypto exchanges exposing users to increased risks. However, these have continued to thrive even after the unprecedented actions against them, the researchers were able to establish. In April, German authorities seized the servers of the largest darknet market, Hydra, while the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Hydra and Garantex, a Russia-based crypto exchange accused of processing $100 million of illicit transactions. The total includes $6 million from the Russian ransomware group Conti and around $2.6 million from Hydra. Despite the crackdown, Garantex not only continues to operate but has more than doubled its trading volumes over the course of 2022, TRM Labs revealed. Meanwhile, newly founded Russian DNMs have quickly filled the gap left by the dismantling of Hydra. Sales on these platforms between May and Dec. 2022, surpassed those in the first four months of the year. At the same time, while Conti officially shut down in May, it has actually rebranded and is still operating through several smaller groups. Although, a study published by Chainalysis in January of this year showed that sanctions have played a role in reducing ransomware revenue. The TRM report also highlights the politicization of some Russian and Ukrainian hackers providing an example with Killnet. The group, which conducts malware and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, pledged allegiance to the Russian state, threatening entities linked to unfriendly nations. The pro-Ukrainian Dump Forums have also hit Russian targets. Both have been raising crypto on Telegram for their respective causes. DNMs and darknet forums have largely remained politically neutral. Do you think the authorities in Russia, Ukraine, and other countries in the region will crack down on such platforms in the future? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below. Read the full article

[crackingcryptocurrency]

Exploring The Best Trading Strategies: Key Factors to Consider

By engaging with Cracking Cryptocurrency Trading Group, enrolling in courses, and considering key factors, you can enhance your skills and increase your chances of success. Remember to only trade with funds you can afford to lose, as trading inherently involves risks. Good luck and happy trading!

[asinineapotheosis]

PREPARING FOR THE END, BUT HOW WILL IT COME?

We live in an ever interconnecting world and never before has mankind faced the immensity of threats we do today. Below is a list of possible world ending crisis to prepare for:

1. Global Economic Collapse The most immediate and likely crisis to occur. It has happened on smaller scales in the past. Economies rise and fall like the coming of the tides. The difference today is how intricately connected global economies are. One nations economic collapse could easily domino into neighboring countries where their economies are tightly knit and these sudden changes effect even the most far removed of nations. Great Depressions are no longer localized. This year alone, some economies have shrank upwards of 26% and it isn’t stopping yet. There are no systems in place to stop the world from falling into a Global Recession.

2. Cultural Division It is true that we have always had cultural division, for as long as humans have been around in fact. But its no stretch to say that wars and conflicts between Religions, Ethnicities, Ideologies, Classes, and Political Parties have intensified. These days people are even often radicalized through the internet and media. You would think that being surrounded by information about other cultures and peoples would make humans more receptive and tolerant of those different from them but its seems that just the opposite is true. It seems that the more we are presented with other peoples the more we are drawn deeper into our own communities and cultures. The abundance of information can be overwhelming and cause us to withdraw and criticize other cultures. These criticisms are then sown and grown in the echo chamber that is The Internet where these feelings are reinforced and even nurtured as like minded people reciprocate these same thoughts and feelings. We’re used to seeing these sorts of conflicts happening in “smaller countries” but what happens when in starts in global Super Power, between similarly armed groups, when the violence spills into the streets and the fires are lit? It will take much more effort to extinguish them than it did to start them.

3. Global Xenophobia This is a biproduct of cultural division. The world is already suffering under a global pandemic which has disrupted trade and travel, so nations are hastily reworking their economies and looking inward, isolating themselves away from global interactions and turning to nationalism. This can create further distrust and divisions between nations and cultures and a build up of defenses instead of attempts at communications. Don’t be surprised to find that nations begin posturing and attempting to assert themselves, or old alliances and treaties to disappear. Nations will operate in their own self interest. This will further ingrain xenophobia. It is often the case that countries that follow a xenophobic line of thinking will accuse foreigners of bringing crime, spreading diseases, abusing welfare systems, bring opposing ideals and religions, taking jobs, and even dilute the racial make up of a nation. On a global scale, countries that fall wholly into this line of thinking will rot from within. Civil wars, violent upheavals in government, vigilantism, pockets of violence and utter chaos throughout the country. This is something we’re seeing everywhere today and small cracks become huge divides if they are not mended.

4. Artificial Intelligence Once the thought of AI as a threat took the form of the Terminator, robots conquering, subduing, and destroying mankind. But the truth is far more complicated and nuanced. Algorithms and programs serve up endless streams of lifeless content to be viewed, evaluated, and stored for later. AI produces a sea of countless distractions based entirely on our previous clicks, likes, search history, location, gender, age, and other demographics. In the age of information it is entire possible to live in an alternative reality of facts insulated from any input. In essence creating complex virtual communities of like minded peoples. Communal Subjectivity is the name of the game and it is constantly reinforced every time you look at a screen. The logarithms do not care, they do not feel, they have no opinions or beliefs themselves. Instead, they feed you your beliefs and prejudices. Ironic that machines that were intended to connect us all are actually driving us apart even further and create a landscape for further conflict. Furthermore, we are at a point in automation and so technologically dependent that it would be impossible to scale it back. What will happen if the technology is rendered inoperable due to conflict, EMPs, Solar Flares? How will people live? Transportation, electricity, water, refrigeration of medicine and food, etc... all gone. Who would they turn to? The Government? Their neighbors? Friends and family? Could you and your friends all survive a world like this? AI and Technological dependence is a fragile state of being. It really doesn't take much to break it. If it were to occur on a large scale, all of society would be unraveled.

5. Sino-American War War has changed. No longer is about troops and tanks on the ground, or long drawn out conflicts between nations. It is unlikely that a nuclear exchange between superpowers would occur in a way that we would imagine. More likely would be a handful of high altitude nuclear detonations to create EMP bursts and cripple electrical grids. The realties of this new form of war is beginning to rear its face and the threat is becoming clear. Terrorists and provocateurs can do more damage than any standing army. This atop the fact that they would have the benefit of dividing a nations populous rather than uniting it against a common enemy. So what would a war between the US and China look like? Not how you’d think. The US holds a over whelming advantage at sea and in terms of long ranged weapons. The only thing that has held the peace between these two super powers is the fact that their economies are tied together as a relationship between consumer and manufacturer, respectably. The US prints money and sells debt and China purchases that debt. So this war would most likely be Economic and the start of a shift away from the us dollar as the reserve currency of the world. There’s already talk about cryptocurrency backed by the Yuan and gold, a serious threat to US Dollar. As the trade war continues, the Dollar remains strong. But what would happen if the US Dollar weakens and the American market stops consuming and begins to retract? It is possible that we are already engaged in the early stages of a Sino-American war as foreign provocateurs sowing chaos in a US election process, or more covert attacks on the US computer infrastructure, alliances that exclude the US, or biological threats.

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

What do we do as the world teeters on complete and total destruction? Simple, we prepare. Make certain that any disaster will not leave you with the essentials of food and water. Have a plan and the equipment you need when the power goes out and supply chains stop. Have a plan to hunker down, make a stand, and then bug out if necessary. Prepare for the long-haul and not just the moment and you will survive any coming disaster.

[cryptotrading101]

Crypto Trading Resources

Here are some of my favorite resources for crypto trading.

Last Updated: Feb 16, 2021 7:50PM EST

EDUCATION

CrackingCryptocurrency.com  If you want to learn how to trade cryptocurrency responsibly using system-based algorithmic trading, there is no better resource than Cracking Cryptocurrency. They are a great educational group that hosts a daily Youtube show Mon-Fri at 1:00PM EST, where they perform live trading and teach people how to trade. 

BabyPips.com If you are super new to trading and don’t even know how to read a chart, you can start by trying out BabyPips’ free forex trading course. Here, you will learn basic chart patterns, candlestick formations, and trading fundamentals that will help you on your trading journey.

EXCHANGES (US)  Coinbase Coinbase Pro - The cheaper pro version of Coinbase Binance.us FTX.us  Gemini OK Coin

EXCHANGES (INTERNATIONAL) Binance FTX  Deribit  - Derivatives and options  Bybit - Margin trading (Intermediate/Advanced users only!) Uniswap - DeFi Exchange | Tutorial

WALLETS Ledger Nano X (Hard) Trezor (Hard) Trust Wallet (Hot) | Setup Video Exodus Wallet (Hot) | Setup Video Metamask (Hot) | Setup Video

TRADING TOOLS

Trading View - Chart crypto, stocks, and more. Use indicators! Coin Trader Pro - Chart coin projects that haven’t yet been listed on exchanges

Chartex - Chart more coin projects that might not be on exchanges!

CoinGecko.com - Your best search engine for tokens! Great for research. 

CryptoParrot.com - Paper trading platform - digitally simulate trading for free with “paper” money!  3commas.io - Set multiple take profit points and simultaneous stop loss, trailing take profit, and stop loss timeouts. Sync all of your exchanges in one place to keep track of your trades!

BITCOIN INFO btc101.io bitcoin-only.com bitcoin.page bitcoin-resources.com

CLUBHOUSE CLUBS  Crypto Church  Black Bitcoin Billionaires BITCOIN LIGHTNING GAMING - EARN SATS! Sarutobi - Android | iPhone (Requires Test Flight) Bitcoin Bounce - Android | iPhone (Requires Test Flight) Bitcoin Bounty Hunt - Windows PC Bitcoin Rally - Windows PC Bitrealm Lightnite - Available for Linux, MAC, and Windows Turbo ‘84 - Android | iPhone  CS:Go Infuse Mint Gox Discord  Bitcoin Lightning Gaming Discord

EARN MORE SATS Fold App Lolli App NON-CUSTODIAL LIGHTNING WALLETS FOR LIGHTNING BTC  Breez Zap Muun

[ailtrahq]

About $22 million in stolen cryptos from the Harmony Protocol heist were transferred to a Russian exchange. Russia was the global hub of cryptocurrency laundering. The crypto industry has been left high and dry amidst an unrelenting onslaught from North Korean-linked hackers. A series of high-profile exploits by unscrupulous players, allegedly backed by the regime, have siphoned millions in hard-earned monies off unsuspecting investors. While on-chain sleuths and law enforcement agencies work hard to investigate and uncover such crimes, a new alarming development has emerged, raising the risk a few notches higher. The Russia – North Korea link According to the latest report by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, hackers from North Korea were actively using Russia-based crypto exchanges to launder stolen crypto assets. On-chain data revealed that roughly $22 million stolen from the Harmony Protocol heist in June last year were transferred to a Russian exchange. Although the name was not revealed, Chainalysis alleged that the trading platform was a repeat offender with a history of supporting unlawful transactions. For the uninitiated, layer-1 blockchain Harmony suffered a breach on its cross-chain bridge Horizon. This resulted in a theft of $100 million in several tokens including Ethereum [ETH], Tether [USDT], and USD Coin [USDC]. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later confirmed that the notorious Lazarus Group was behind the exploit. Meanwhile, Chainalysis claimed to have evidence proving the hacking group has been using the aforementioned Russian exchange services since 2021. Chainalysis discovered some intriguing new trends while following the trail of the stolen crypto assets from Lazarus Group. Historically, the group has transferred the funds to mainstream exchanges. However, of late, there were numerous instances of the funds getting deposited on the Russian exchange. The below graph demonstrated the movement of stolen Harmony funds. Source: Chainalysis Russia – a big player in crypto crimes Chainalysis noted that this dramatic shift could harm the process of recovering stolen funds, given Russia’s, “Notoriously uncooperative stance toward international efforts.” According to a previous report, Russia was the global hub of cryptocurrency laundering. The fact that businesses tied to such crimes were functioning from one of the country’s most prominent financial landmarks – The Federation Tower in Moscow’s central business district – indicated the seriousness of the problem. In fact, for some of these crypto entities, illegal funds made up more than 30% of all the cryptocurrencies received. Russia also leads the world in ransomware attacks. Conti, believed to be based in Russia, was the biggest ransomware strain by revenue in 2021. They extorted at least $180 million from victims. There have been instances of local law enforcement agencies cracking down on ransomware attackers in the past. However, analysts have associated them to be acts of diplomacy meant to cool tensions over Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. In response to the increasing threat of ransomware-related crimes, the U.S. government recently merged its crypto crime and cybercrime units. One of the stated objectives of the merged unit was to track criminals through their ransomware payments and apprehend them before they flee to Russia. Hacks from North Korea down in 2023, but… As far as the tale of North Korean crypto crimes were concerned, a sharp fall was observed in overall funds lost in 2023 to unscrupulous players from the “Hermit Kingdom.” Compared to a whopping $1.65 billion in 2022, the hacked amount plunged to $340 million this year. Source: Chainalysis However, scammers from the East Asian nation still constituted roughly 30% of all cryptocurrency hacks carried out in 2o23. The high share in overall crypto crimes reinforced the notion of North Korea being one of the largest active threats in the cybercrime landscape. Source: Chainalysis

In fact, at least two high-profile exploits surfaced in a span of just seven days. The first was the $41 million heist from cryptocurrency betting platform Stake.com, followed by the $54-million exploit on cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx. Though the crypto and DeFi fanbases are resilient, the non-stop attacks on platforms have started to test their patience. When it comes to finance, the security and transparency regarding funds holds paramount importance. Hence, it was critical for builders to guarantee safeguards to attract more users. Source

[thesecrettimes]

Russian Darknet Markets, Ransomware Groups Thrive Despite Sanctions, Report

Russian marketplaces on the dark web have continued to operate despite Western sanctions and efforts to shut them down, according to a report accessing the illicit blockchain space amid the world’s “first crypto war.” Ransomware actors and high-risk crypto exchanges have also remained active.

Underground Russian Crypto Platforms Adapting to Disruptions Caused by Ukraine War

Before Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, cryptocurrency exchanges linked to the two countries accounted for over half of the international volumes of illicit crypto funds. Cybercrime organizations were full of Russian-speaking members and Russian-language darknet markets (DNMs) dominated the global drugs trade in cryptocurrency, TRM Labs noted in a new report. Over the past year, the blockchain intelligence firm analyzed changes in the illicit crypto ecosystem to find out how cybercriminals are adjusting to the financial, political, and logistical disruptions caused by the conflict. The company describes the latter as “the world’s first crypto war,” with the two sides relying on donations in digital assets to fund their military and humanitarian campaigns and the West trying to limit the opportunities for Moscow to use coins to bypass restrictions. When the war broke out, Western governments and law enforcement agencies went after Russia-linked DNMs, ransomware syndicates and crypto exchanges exposing users to increased risks. However, these have continued to thrive even after the unprecedented actions against them, the researchers were able to establish. In April, German authorities seized the servers of the largest darknet market, Hydra, while the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Hydra and Garantex, a Russia-based crypto exchange accused of processing $100 million of illicit transactions. The total includes $6 million from the Russian ransomware group Conti and around $2.6 million from Hydra. Despite the crackdown, Garantex not only continues to operate but has more than doubled its trading volumes over the course of 2022, TRM Labs revealed. Meanwhile, newly founded Russian DNMs have quickly filled the gap left by the dismantling of Hydra. Sales on these platforms between May and Dec. 2022, surpassed those in the first four months of the year. At the same time, while Conti officially shut down in May, it has actually rebranded and is still operating through several smaller groups. Although, a study published by Chainalysis in January of this year showed that sanctions have played a role in reducing ransomware revenue. The TRM report also highlights the politicization of some Russian and Ukrainian hackers providing an example with Killnet. The group, which conducts malware and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, pledged allegiance to the Russian state, threatening entities linked to unfriendly nations. The pro-Ukrainian Dump Forums have also hit Russian targets. Both have been raising crypto on Telegram for their respective causes. DNMs and darknet forums have largely remained politically neutral. Do you think the authorities in Russia, Ukraine, and other countries in the region will crack down on such platforms in the future? Share your thoughts on the subject in the comments section below. Read the full article

[tszhangherbertlam]

Can Bitcoin create a virtual world?

1)      What is Bitcoin?

Have you ever heard of a story of a man who bought two pizzas using 10,000 Bitcoins? What is Bitcoin then? It is a tradable digital currency. It can be spent globally like real-world money but without the need for converting to different currency between countries (e.g. from $ to £), which is very convenient. But from a country's perspective, the most important power is the issue and control of the currency, they lost those power due to the existence of Bitcoin and they failed to shut it down. Therefore, they do not accept Bitcoin as a currency, only as a financial product, people can hype it but not consume it.

 2)      How was Bitcoin created?

An article called ‘Bitcoin: A peer-to-peer electronic cash system’ was published in 2018 by Satoshi Nakamoto. It perfectly described an advanced virtual currency system. Two months after the article was published, engineers built the system by following the instructions in that article. In 2009, the Bitcoin system was successfully launched.

Like the real-world currency (e.g. gold), Bitcoin was also dug out from the mine, but it is a virtual system. People use computer programs to dig out Bitcoins and the total amount is set to be 21 million (maximum authorised amount). Three factors will influence the digging speed: 1) the production rate of the mine. 2) the speed of the computer. 3) the numbers of diggers. However, the Bitcoin system has been operated for 11 years, most of the Bitcoins have been poached, the production rate of the mine has been dramatically dropped. If you want to join the diggers, it may take you years to dig out your first Bitcoin!

In 2009, when people started to mine Bitcoin, it almost worth nothing, so people use it to buy pizza, and this is the story at the beginning of this blogpost.

 3)      Advantages and disadvantages of Bitcoin.

The advantages of Bitcoin are: firstly, it has a constant value. As mention above, the maximum authorised amount is 21 million Bitcoins, so its value is set from the beginning. Moreover, the value of Bitcoin will not influence by political situations such as wars or social unrests. If wars are happening, the existing cash will be affected e.g. depreciate, the real cash can get lost by falling-off your pocket, but Bitcoin will not, and this leads to the next point: it has a high-level of security. Bitcoin is only a digital currency that exists on the internet, you just need to make sure you do not lose your Bitcoin banking account then you are safe. However, if your account has been stolen or forgotten, you will be unable to find it back. This because Bitcoin is highly digitally encrypted and cannot be cracked or traced, which means that your Bitcoins are gone, for good. Thirdly, low transaction fees. Usually, the transaction activities are free for Bitcoins, if it does, it will still be lower than the real currency since there is no intermediary agent, therefore all the transactions are point-to-point unless you invited a third party to join the transaction e.g. trading platform. From a government’s perspective, it is bad. Because they cannot control and trace the money, then it will be difficult to control their people.

On the other hand, the disadvantages. Firstly, it is easy to lose your account, despite Bitcoins are powerful and secure enough, but that does not mean the Bitcoin trading platforms are secured, due to hacking attacks, causing the trading platform supervisor to temporarily shut down the platform, or even permanently. Secondly, the transactions are not reversible. As they are digitally encrypted, you cannot prove that Bitcoin is yours, unless the seller is nice enough to transfer your Bitcoin back. Thirdly, Bitcoin is easy to be exploited illegally, due to no one is managing the Bitcoins and it cannot be traced, it can easily be used to do illegal things e.g. money laundering and drug-dealing. Lastly and most importantly, the Bitcoin system can be duplicated. is not duplicating the Bitcoin mines, but anyone can follow the instructions on that article to create their own virtual currencies and we do not know which we shall use and use world-widely. IMF (International Monetary Fund) has warned the world that every country needs to issue their own CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency), which is a traceable and manageable currency, to prevent everyone from using virtual currency and giving up on trust in banks.

 4)      A more futuristic world?

If every country is going to issue their own CBDC, then the world’s currency will be virtualised, cash will be no longer existing. The wealth of the entire world has become an encrypted string of numbers, stored in a bank. One thing we can sure about is that governments must eventually virtualise their money, to get their power back (right of issuing and control of the currency) to control their people. Therefore, we need Fintech to have better management of our money in the bank (refers to my blogpost 1). Moreover, the policing of online transactions will be improved since every virtual currency transaction can be tracked.

Between 2013~2015, the Rockefeller financial group and Rothschild Family have issued their cryptocurrencies: ‘Ethereum’ (ETH) and ‘Ripple’(XRP), to promote the virtual currency market. Many countries have certified these two virtual currencies are safe e.g. Japan. So far, many countries have launched their own cryptocurrency such as China, Singapore, and Senegal, etc.

 5)      Conclusion

To sum up, currency virtualization is inevitable, and it has accelerated the virtualisation of matters. Because money is a representative of matters, only money can purchase physical items. Let us think about this in another way. Combining my blogpost 1, we can use Fintech to pay-off our debts and even make a purchase online, then the item will be delivered to our acquired location, throughout the transaction, we do not use cash for payment, and we do not even need to touch our wallet. The only thing we do is to make a few finger-taps on our mobile screen. By doing so, we only feel the deduction on digital numbers since our money is already transformed into numbers in our bank account. Therefore, in my opinion, this kind of life is virtual, and the world will eventually be virtualised because money has already been virtualised, it is about time.

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Exploring The Best Trading Strategies: Key Factors to Consider

https://www.bondhuplus.com/read-blog/42934_exploring-the-best-trading-strategies-key-factors-to-consider.html

Cryptocurrency trading presents both exciting opportunities and significant risks. To navigate this dynamic market successfully, traders must adopt the Best Trading strategies. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced trader, understanding key factors can substantially improve your trading skills.

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Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has officially issued a grave warning to the unregistered cryptocurrency exchange, JPEX. The SFC has cautioned that JPEX may potentially face criminal charges for openly promoting its services to the public. The commission has also expressed alarm over JPEX’s high-yield service, which promises returns of up to 20% and is suspected to be a highly risky investment. No SFC License for JPEXThis caution is part of the SFC’s broader effort to crack down on unregistered cryptocurrency exchanges and fraudulent activities in the region. The SFC has observed that JPEX has been actively promoting its services through various channels, including social media influencers, key opinion leaders (KOLs), and over-the-counter virtual asset money changers. It’s essential to note that none of the entities within the JPEX group hold a license from the SFC to operate a virtual asset trading platform in Hong Kong, nor have they applied for one.Concerns Raised by the SFCThe SFC has highlighted several concerns about JPEX, including deceptive claims about licenses, offering exceptionally high returns, and reports of investors facing difficulties in withdrawing their assets. Additionally, some of JPEX’s products appear to be fishy and may involve dealings that do not comply with the SFC’s regulatory framework.However, SFC has also informed relevant KOLs and over-the-counter shops about their concerns and has requested them to cease promoting JPEX and its services. The step is taken to minimise the user losses in the process. Enforcement Measures SFC Can Take, Investors To Stay AlertIt is quite evident that the SEC can take control over such entities which engage in fraudulent or deceptive practices involving virtual assets against the law, and they are fully prepared to take enforcement actions against individuals and entities not adhering to their regulations.In the whole process, investors need to stay alert when they get such scam offers that are too lucrative, especially those promoted on social media platforms by KOLs who may not have professional investment expertise. The SFC also warns against trading virtual assets on unregulated platforms, as investors may face significant risks.It is of utmost importance to verify the licensing status of any virtual asset trading platform by referring to the SFC’s list of licensed platforms. Detailed information about JPEX, which has been on the SFC’s Alert List since July 8, 2022, is also provided for reference. Also, check on the SFC-listed exchanges to trade. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window,document,'script', ' fbq('init', '887971145773722'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source

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Buying Bitcoin in China

1. Is Bitcoin legal in China? Whilst Bitcoin is basically prison in China, it is not deemed as criminal gentle, nor does it revel in the equal safety functions as the chinese language Yuan. Extra than that, economic institutions, such as banks, are banned from managing any cryptocurrency. Exchanges and buying and selling platform have been banned by way of law, so even as it is felony for residents to own Bitcoin, shopping for it may simplest be executed on peer-to-peer basis. Moreover, due to an intention to crack down on mining operations, many Bitcoin miners have left China or ceased their operation. With regards to sincerely the usage of your Bitcoin, you can locate a few difficulty using it inside China. The united states does now not provide any regulatory aid to the improvement of crypto infrastructure. Moreover, protecting banks and charge processors unable to facilitate any Bitcoin-associated transactions. As such it is very tough to apply or do anything with Bitcoin inside China, apart from alternate or hodl it as an funding device. 

Buy Bitcoin in South Africa

2. How popular is Bitcoin in China? In February 2017, the chinese regulatory bodies joined forces and commenced a crackdown on chinese cryptocurrency exchanges, leading to a huge drop in BTC fee globally. However, Bitcoin still has significant marketplace interest in China, in spite of the numerous regulatory limitations imposed with the aid of the authorities. Shutting down the exchanges did no longer prevent chinese language residents from trading Bitcoin, it only moved them to apply peer-to-peer platforms, as may be visible on LocalBitcoins’ buying and selling quantity: hobby in Bitcoin inside China is in incredibly popular decline, provided underneath by using Google developments for searches of the term ‘Bitcoin’. This may be attributed to the falling charges of the asset and increasing regulatory limitations.

 3. Major chinese Bitcoin communities maximum of the chinese Bitcoin economic system is in the social-weave. The authorities having restricted citizens significantly has resulted in telecommunications groups banning cryptocurrency and blockchain associated money owed. While Bitcoin channels may be determined, it’s hard for a non-chinese speaker to do so. Right here is one thread from BitcoinTalk. Four. China-primarily based Bitcoin Exchanges As of September 2017, the chinese language authorities has proceeded to crackdown on cryptocurrency exchanges, ICO platforms, and has blocked all home exchanges from working. Consequently, no exchanges are operational inside China and plenty of big chinese exchanges have relocated their operations overseas.

 5. International Exchanges to be had in China government-imposed regulations did not forestall at the home chinese market, because the u . S . A . Has proceeded to ban maximum principal cryptocurrency exchanges from interacting with their citizens. As a end result, you could’t access international fiat exchanges, which includes Coinbase or Kraken. However, it is able to be feasible to send cash to crypto-simplest exchanges, such as Binance, for conversion into exceptional forms of crypto.

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Cryptocurrency: The Fintech Disruptor

Block chains, side chains, and mining - terminologies in the clandestine world of cryptocurrency keep piling up by minutes. Although it sounds unreasonable to introduce new financial terms in an already intricate world of finance, cryptocurrencies give you a much-needed treatment for one of the biggest annoyances in the current money market - security of transaction in an electronic world. 

Cryptocurrency is just a defining and disruptive innovation in the fast-moving world of fin-tech, a pertinent reaction to the necessity for a protected medium of exchange in the times of virtual transaction. In a time when deals are merely digits and numbers, cryptocurrency proposes to do just that!

In probably the most rudimentary kind of the term, cryptocurrency is just a proof-of-concept for alternative virtual currency that promises secured, anonymous transactions through peer-to-peer online mesh networking. The misnomer is more of the home as opposed to actual currency. Unlike everyday money, cryptocurrency models operate without a central authority, as a decentralized digital mechanism.

In a distributed bitcoin mining the money is issued, managed and endorsed by the collective community peer network - the continuous activity of which is recognized as mining on a peer's machine. Successful miners receive coins too in appreciation of the time and resources utilized. 

Once used, the transaction information is broadcasted to a blockchain in the network under a public-key, preventing each coin from being spent twice from exactly the same user. The blockchain may be looked at whilst the cashier's register. Coins are secured behind a password-protected digital wallet representing the user.

Method of getting coins in the digital currency world is pre-decided, free of manipulation, by any individual, organizations, government entities, and financial institutions. The cryptocurrency system is noted for its speed, as transaction activities on the digital wallets can materialize funds in a matter of minutes, compared to the traditional banking system.

It can be largely irreversible by design, further bolstering the thought of anonymity and eliminating any more chances of tracing the money back once again to its original owner. Unfortunately, the salient features - speed, security, and anonymity - have also made crypto-coins the mode of transaction for numerous illegal trades.

Just as the money market in real life, currency rates fluctuate in the digital coin ecosystem. Owing to the finite quantity of coins, as demand for currency increases, coins inflate in value. Bitcoin is the biggest and most successful cryptocurrency so far, with a market cap of $15.3 Billion, capturing 37.6% of the market and currently costing $8,997.31. Bitcoin hit the currency market in December 2017 by being traded at $19,783.21 per coin, before facing the sudden plunge in 2018. The fall is partly due to increasing of alternative digital coins such as for example Ethereum, NPCcoin, Ripple, EOS, Litecoin, and MintChip.

Because of hard-coded limits on the supply, cryptocurrencies are considered to check out exactly the same principles of economics as gold - price is decided by the limited supply and the fluctuations of demand. With the constant fluctuations in the exchange rates, their sustainability still remains to be seen. Consequently, the investment in virtual currencies is more speculation at this time than a day to the day money market.

In the wake of the industrial revolution, this digital currency is an indispensable part of technological disruption. From the purpose of an informal observer, this rise may look exciting, threatening and mysterious all at once. Although some economist remains skeptical, others see it as a lightning revolution of monetary industry. Conservatively, the digital coins are likely to displace roughly a fraction of national currencies in the developed countries by 2030. 

It has already created a new asset class alongside the traditional global economy and a new group of investment vehicle will come from crypto finance next years. Recently, Bitcoin may have got a drop to give the spotlight to other cryptocurrencies. But this does not signal any crash of the cryptocurrency itself. Although some financial advisors emphasis over governments'role in cracking down the clandestine world to regulate the central governance mechanism, others insist on continuing the existing free-flow. The very popular cryptocurrencies are, the more scrutiny and regulation they attract - a typical paradox that bedevils the digital note and erodes the primary objective of its existence. 

In either case, the possible lack of intermediaries and oversight is rendering it remarkably attractive to the investors and causing daily commerce to change drastically. Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) fears that cryptocurrencies will displace central banks and international banking in the near future. After 2030, regular commerce is going to be dominated by way of a crypto supply chain that'll offer less friction and more economic value between technologically adept buyers and sellers.

If cryptocurrency aspires to become a vital part of the existing financial system, it must satisfy very divergent financial, regulatory and societal criteria. It will have to be hacker-proof, consumer-friendly, and heavily safeguarded to provide its fundamental benefit to the mainstream monetary system. 

It should preserve user anonymity without being a station of money laundering, tax evasion, and internet fraud. As they are must-haves for the digital system, it will have a few more years to comprehend whether a cryptocurrency will have a way to compete with real-life currency entirely swing. Whilst it probably will happen, cryptocurrency's success (or lack thereof) of tackling the challenges will determine the fortune of the monetary system in the times ahead.