What are Forks, Alt-coins, Meta-coins, and Sidechains?
Peter Van Valkenburgh, Coin Center’s Director of Research, clarifies some terminology and explains some technical concepts from the ever-changing universe of Bitcoin-derived innovations.
This post has been updated. Read the new version here. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of cryptocurrency technology is that it is entirely open for experimentation—there’s no patent or copyright...
Fox Business asks, “Do digital currencies make it easier for terrorists to move money?”
Jerry Brito joins Dierdre Bolton on Fox Business to share the facts and dispel myths about Bitcoin and terrorist financing.
Some facts about digital currency and terrorist financing
After the recent attacks in Paris, governments are redoubling their efforts to combat terrorist financing, and we’ve been asked how digital currencies might be affected by these efforts.
After the recent attacks in Paris, governments are redoubling their efforts to combat terrorist financing, and we’ve been asked how digital currencies might be affected by these efforts. The answer...
What last week’s European VAT ruling means for bitcoin fungibility
The European Court of Justice held that bitcoin is a currency for the purposes of VAT taxation. The decision will make it easier to exchange euros for bitcoin and could have implications for bitcoin fungibility down the line.
One of the more persnickety legal issues in the bitcoin space stems from whether liens attach to the bitcoins of a borrower, and whether they’d attach even if that borrower...
Announcing the Blockchain Alliance
Today we announced the formation of the Blockchain Alliance, a forum for law enforcement and regulators to ask questions of each other and to share information.
Like email or the web, Bitcoin is an open Internet protocol. This means that anyone can plug into the network and easily transact with anyone else in the world. This...
Letter to Conference of State Bank Supervisors
Coin Center submitted this letter to the Conference of State Bank Supervisors regarding its Model Regulatory Framework for Virtual Currency Activities.
A direct download of this letter is available here.
Released Today: Updated State Digital Currency Principles and Framework
Our guidelines for digital currency policy now include provisions for micropayment channels and new exemptions for merchant processors.
Coin Center’s State Digital Currency Principles and Framework is our model for digital-currency-specific state-licensing regulation. It is a template with structure, definitions and language for the essential components of any digital currency...
Janet Yellen on sound Bitcoin Regulation
It is refreshing to hear Ms. Yellen consider the costs as well as the benefits of regulation and understands the need to proceed cautiously so as not to hamper innovation in the space.
Following a July meeting of the House Committee on Financial Services’ Monetary Policy and Trade, Committee Vice Chair Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R – SC) submitted questions to Janet Yellen, Chair of...
Call for Papers: Cryptocurrency’s First Peer-Reviewed Journal
Cryptocurrency gets its own interdisciplinary academic journal.
Today we are pleased to announce the launch of Ledger, the first peer-reviewed journal devoted to the inherently interdisciplinary subject of cryptocurrencies. This nascent technology has implications across a broad swath...
Freshly Unveiled CSBS Model Regs: Good Goals, Poor Execution
The model's vague definitions cover more than what is typically considered money transmission.
Today the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) announced their Model Regulatory Framework for regulation of virtual currency activities. Unfortunately, we’ve strong concerns about the vagueness of the language they’ve chosen in...