Henrik Zeberg, a macro expert, has given a detailed analysis of the current state of Bitcoin (BTC) and the cryptocurrency market as a whole. Zeberg is known for his negative take on cryptocurrencies, but for the time being, he maintains a constructive outlook on the state of the industry.

The economist predicted that the price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will climb as long as the economy is not in a recession. According to Zeberg, this is a result of a return of liquidity to the system, and the Swissblock indicators, which the analyst mentioned about, also show the bullish nature of the current cryptocurrency market.

While the analyst has now given a positive outlook for the market, he previously cited the striking similarities between the economic growth of the present and that of the years 2007 to 2008. At the time, the recession also began with a fall in property market activity (blue line), which was followed by a sharp increase in unemployment (orange line). He asserts that there is a chance that our crash will be worse than the one from 2007 to 2009 and that it could be even worse than the crash of 1929.

The issues at institutions like Silvergate Bank and Silicon Valley Bank, which were no longer able to keep their heads above water due to the increased interest rates set by the Federal Reserve, are already the first indications of what the expert is trying to say.

What all of the current events will ultimately mean for Bitcoin is still uncertain. Its difficult to say because it would be the first time in the history of Bitcoin that the asset had experienced a worldwide economic crisis. In the most likely scenario, all risk assets will see a significant decline first, and Bitcoin will be no different.

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Bitcoin Bulls Rejoice: Henrik Zeberg Predicts Upward Trend Until This Happens - Coinpedia Fintech News

President Joe Biden yesterday dropped a $6.9 trillion budget plan. The huge blueprintwhich is expected to be rejected in the GOP-controlled Housewants to increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations to reduce a massive deficit.

And that includes crypto traders and investors. The document says it wants to close the loophole that benefits wealthy crypto investors by focusing on wash sales of digital assets. So what will that mean for the average crypto investor if this ambitious proposal is passed?

The proposal says that it wants to modernize rules, including those for digital assets and apply the wash sale rules to digital assets and address related party transactions, essentially making it so crypto assets abide by the same rules as more traditional investments.

A wash sale is when someone sells a security at a loss, only to then buy the same asset with the hope it will later go up again in value within a 30 day window. In other words, an investor can realize a loss on an asset on paper, securing a tax break for the sold asset, but still later benefit from potential gains on the same asset.

Investors currently arent able to create an investment loss for a tax deduction while still having a position in a security. But up to now, this rule has not applied to crypto assets, which has enabled crypto investors to employ tax loss harvesting strategies that are not available to traditional investors.

For example, investors now are able to benefit by buying Bitcoin at $20,000. If it then drops to $17,500 and then sell it, they can realize the loss on paper for tax purposesbut immediately buy more Bitcoin to continue having a stake in the asset.

The Biden Administration appears now to be playing catch up as regulators put digital assets in the same basket as securities and want to change the rule so it applies to digital assets like Bitcoin. But this could get complicated, according to the experts.

Wash sales apply to when you sell something but you buy something identical to something you sold, CoinTrackers Head of Strategy Shehan Chandrasekera told Decrypt. But what happens if you sell Bitcoin but buy back something like Wrapped Bitcoinits not identicalthats where things can get complicated.

Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) is a token that allows traders who want to use their Bitcoin holdings in the Ethereum ecosystem. It trades at the same price as Bitcoin but runs on a different blockchain.

Lots of different wrapped tokens exist but none are mentioned in Bidens proposal.

Director of Government Solutions at TaxBit Miles Fuller told Decrypt that the elimination of tax loss harvesting could reduce the burden on taxpayers for calculating taxes, as less transactions will need to be sorted through. But the burden would then fall on exchanges.

The burden on exchanges to track transactions that fall within the wash sale rule and make sure those are ignored for tax purposes will increase, he said, but added that software could help solve the issue.

For now, the proposal has not been passedand is likely to face hurdles in Congress. But its certain that the government is paying closer attention to digital assetsand wants to regulate them like other investments.

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Bidens Tax Hike Proposal and What It Means for Bitcoin 'Wash Sales' - Decrypt

March 14, 2023 2:45 PM | 1 min read

Bitcoin Cash (CRYPTO: BCH) andEthereum Classic(CRYPTO: ETC)aretrading higher by 4.90% to $133.60 and 5.56% to $20.77 Tuesday afternoon. Shares of several altcoins are trading higher on continuedupward momentumin cryptocurrencies.

Crypto may be trading higher in sympathy with the broader U.S. market after CPI data for February met analyst expectations. Our Benzinga team reportedthe headlineCPIrose 6% in February, downfrom 6.4% in January, according todatafrom the Labor Department.

Crypto may also be higher in sympathy with the broader U.S. market after President Joe BidenMonday morning reassured Americans about the stability of the financial sector on Monday morning following the recent collapse of SVB Financial Group,Signature Bank and Silvergate Capital Corp.

Enter your email and you'll also get Benzinga's ultimate morning update AND a free $30 gift card and more!

Our Benzinga team reported, in his address, Biden emphasized that all bank customers will have access to their funds.

"All customers who had deposits in these banks can rest assured they'll be protected, and they'll have access to their money as of today, Biden said. "No losses will be borne by the taxpayers. Instead, the money will come out of the fees the banks pay into the deposit insurance fund."

See Also:Biden Addresses FDIC Bank Takeovers: 'The Banking System Is Safe'

2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Why Bitcoin Cash And Ethereum Classic Are Ripping Higher - Benzinga

The Justice Department announced today a coordinated international takedown of ChipMixer, a darknet cryptocurrency mixing service responsible for laundering more than $3 billion worth of cryptocurrency, between 2017 and the present, in furtherance of, among other activities, ransomware, darknet market, fraud, cryptocurrency heists and other hacking schemes. The operation involved U.S. federal law enforcements court-authorized seizure of two domains that directed users to the ChipMixer service and one Github account, as well as the German Federal Criminal Polices (the Bundeskriminalamt) seizure of the ChipMixer back-end servers and more than $46 million in cryptocurrency.

Coinciding with the ChipMixer takedown efforts, Minh Quc Nguyn, 49, of Hanoi, Vietnam, was charged today in Philadelphia with money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and identity theft, connected to the operation of ChipMixer.

This morning, working with partners at home and abroad, the Department of Justice disabled a prolific cryptocurrency mixer, which has fueled ransomware attacks, state-sponsored crypto-heists and darknet purchases across the globe, said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.Todays coordinated operation reinforces our consistent message: we will use all of our authorities to protect victims and take the fight to our adversaries. Cybercrime seeks to exploit boundaries, but the Department of Justices network of alliances transcends borders and enables disruption of the criminal activity that jeopardizes our global cybersecurity.

Today's announcement demonstrates the FBI's commitment to dismantling technical infrastructure that enables cyber criminals and nation-state actors to illegally launder cryptocurrency funds, said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. We will not allow cyber criminals to hide behind keyboards nor evade the consequences of their illegal actions. Countering cybercrime requires the ultimate level of collaboration between and among all law enforcement partners. The FBI will continue to elevate those partnerships and leverage all available tools to identify, apprehend and hold accountable these bad actors and put an end to their illicit activity.

According to court documents, ChipMixer one of the most widely used mixers to launder criminally-derived funds allowed customers to deposit bitcoin, which ChipMixer then mixed with other ChipMixer users bitcoin, commingling the funds in a way that made it difficult for law enforcement or regulators to trace the transactions. As detailed in the complaint, ChipMixer offered numerous features to enhance its criminal customers anonymity. ChipMixer had a clearnet web domain but operated primarily as a Tor hidden service, concealing the operating location of its servers to prevent seizure by law enforcement. ChipMixer serviced many customers in the United States, but did not register with the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and did not collect identifying information about its customers.

As alleged in the complaint, ChipMixer attracted a significant criminal clientele and became indispensable in obfuscating and laundering funds from multiple criminal schemes. Between August 2017 and March 2023, ChipMixer processed:

Beginning in and around August 2017, as alleged in the complaint, Nguyn created and operated the online infrastructure used by ChipMixer and promoted ChipMixers services online. Nguyn registered domain names, procured hosting services and paid for the services used to run ChipMixer through the use of identity theft, pseudonyms, and anonymous email providers. In online posts, Nguyn publicly derided efforts to curtail money laundering, posting in reference to anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) legal requirements that AML/KYC is a sellout to the banks and governments, advising customers please do not use AML/KYC exchanges and instructing them how to use ChipMixer to evade reporting requirements.

ChipMixer facilitated the laundering of cryptocurrency, specifically Bitcoin, on a vast international scale, abetting nefarious actors and criminals of all kinds in evading detection, said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Platforms like ChipMixer, which are designed to conceal the sources and destinations of staggering amounts of criminal proceeds, undermine the publics confidence in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. We thank all our partners at home and abroad for their hard work in this case. Together, we cannot and will not allow criminals exploitation of technology to threaten our national and economic security.

Criminals have long sought to launder the proceeds of their illegal activity through various means, said Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. Technology has changed the game, though, with a site like ChipMixer and facilitator like Nguyen enabling bad actors to do so on a grand scale with ease. In response, the FBI continues to evolve in the ways we follow the money of illegal enterprise, employing all the tools and techniques at our disposal and drawing on our strong partnerships at home and around the globe. As a result, theres now one less option for criminals worldwide to launder their dirty money.

Together, with our international partners at HSI The Hague, we are firmly committed to identifying and investigating cyber criminals who pose a serious threat to our economic security by laundering billions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency under the misguided anonymity of the darknet, said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of Homeland Securities Investigations (HSI) Arizona. HSI Arizona could not be more proud to work alongside every agent involved in this complex international case. We thank all our domestic and international partners for their support.

Nguyn is charged with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, money laundering and identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.

The FBI, HSI Phoenix and HSI The Hague investigated the case.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting the case.

German law enforcement authorities took separate actions today under its authorities. The FBIs Legal Attach in Germany, the HSI office in The Hague, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, the Justice Departments Office of International Affairs and National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, EUROPOL, the Polish Cyber Police (Centralnego Biura Zwalczania Cyberprzestpczoci) and Zurich State Police (Kantonspolizei Zrich) provided assistance in this case.

To report information about ChipMixer and its operators visit rfj.tips/Duhsup.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Justice Department Investigation Leads to Takedown of Darknet ... - Department of Justice

But the US cryptocurrency market now faces a death spiral owing to its need for banking services. Two phenomena are worth noting. First, with the crypto crisis and the collapse of FTX (as well as other notable firms), regulators rightly have become concerned about allowing banks to engage with crypto businesses. This connection is often fraught with risk. The fall of Silvergate a go-to crypto banker was triggered by emptier crypto markets following the FTX collapse as customers fled the chaos and institutions (like exchanges) that once maintained thick deposits scaled back. By December 2022, for example, Silvergates noninterest-bearing deposit holdings stood at around $3.9 billion. In September 2022, holdings had been $8.2 billion higher.

Rather than offer guidance or rulemaking about risk mitigation when working with crypto firms, however, bank regulators have instead signaled a blanket disapproval of such relationships no matter the firm or activity. In January, three regulators declared that banks actively engaging in crypto business activities were, by definition, highly likely to fall short of safety standards, pushing many compliance-conscious banks to radically limit or cut ties with customers in the crypto industry.

Regulators have compelling reasons to protect banking from a risky, novel industry like crypto. But closing off or heavily restricting access to US banking also courts problems. Firms have already begun looking abroad for banking partners and payment services. This strategy risks off-shoring customer money, where it will lose the protection of US deposit insurance and make the task of public oversight much harder to implement. US retail participation in crypto markets is unlikely to completely abate.

Domestic crypto bans, in countries like China for example, have proven notoriously tricky to execute. Enthusiasts turn to virtual private networks to gain access to crypto platforms. Major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are also typically borderless in their underlying infrastructure, enabling VPNs and creative computing to facilitate trading. Tellingly, despite its ban, China continues to see significant crypto trading activity. In addition, by prohibiting or heavily circumscribing banks from providing services to crypto markets, regulators lose the capacity to use banks as levers to monitor crypto firms (e.g., for money laundering), to safely custody customer assets, and to discipline wayward or inexperienced crypto firms (e.g., through loan covenants). To the extent the United States anticipates being a home to the crypto industry and this decision is one for policymakers to take transparently then drastically limiting access to banking services can end up creating a costly set of unintended consequences down the line.

Shoddy bank risk management and the resulting crisis have placed the crypto industry in further peril. In an unexpected plot twist, crypto firms are absorbing the fallout from bank failures, scrambling to save deposits and suffering profound disruption to services. Silvergate and Signature were essential crypto banking bulwarks each offering a 24/7 US dollar payment network that aligned with the never-closed ethos of the crypto market. The Silvergate Exchange Network, for example, processed about $119 billion between September 22 and December 2022.

A lynchpin of the crypto market, Circle Internet Financial, issuer of a popular stablecoin (a crypto asset that seeks to maintain a one-to-one peg with the US dollar, facilitating payments) was left reeling when $3.3 billion of its deposits with Silicon Valley Bank looked to be in danger as regulators worked over the weekend to decide what to do about protecting uninsured funds. It was also no longer able to use Signatures payment network, Signet. Panic selling caused its stablecoin to lose its one-to-one peg for a time, trading at 87 cents over that weekend. And with Signets future uncertain, Circles payments could only be processed when normal business hours resumed on Monday.

Regulators need a plan to better oversee both the crypto market and banks. Facile assumptions about which industry constitutes the greater public risk no longer hold. Crucially, as long as crypto remains a presence within the US marketplace, it cannot be left to its own dangerous devices when dealing with customer money. Simply banning or heavily curtailing US banks from doing business with crypto firms is unlikely to protect the savings of Americans determined to be a part of the crypto ecosystem. Instead, it risks exposing them to the preferences and resourcing of foreign regulators who are unlikely to put American interests over domestic ones and who may lack the expertise and risk-aversion of US financial supervisors.

Rigorous and thoughtful crypto regulation can make both crypto and banking safer as well as maintain the United States place as global leader in delivering responsive, technical, and innovative regulation. Banks are vulnerable when servicing a crypto market that lacks real oversight. Silvergate is case in point. A regime for classifying crypto assets as securities, commodities, or something else; protecting them through failsafe custody arrangements; usable disclosures for customers; or systematic processes to supervise exchanges represent just some of the obvious and urgent regulatory needs that can bring crypto risks under greater control.

Bans on banking crypto are easy but largely unworkable in a digital, global age. Rulemaking is hard but necessary to protect the financial system and to flex the power of American regulatory policy around the world.

Yesha Yadav is the Milton R. Underwood chair, professor of law, and associate dean at Vanderbilt Law School.

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Regulators need a plan for cryptocurrency - The Boston Globe

A new screenshot from GTA 6 leaked online, is ruffling some feathers in the gaming world. The screenshot shows a female protagonist standing in a dark alley, resembling the character that was leaked in September last year. While a handful of gamers say that the leak is legit, others have questioned its authenticity.

Also Read: Everything You Need to Know About ChatGPT 4

Nonetheless, the latest leak has brought a sense of life to gamers predicting that a GTA 6 trailer could be out soon. Rumors about cryptocurrency, 50 Cent being a part of the game, and a 2025 grand release has spread their wings.

Rumors are doing the rounds that GTA 6 could have an in-built cryptocurrency integration in the game. The speculations first came from Insider Gaming founder, Tom Henderson who tweeted that a source confirmed a cryptocurrency integration. He added that some missions in GTA 6 will reward users with cryptocurrency by anonymous billionaires.

He also stated that the stock market feature could return in GTA 6 and have more meat compared to GTA 5 and GTA 4. In GTA 4, the stock market was shown as an infrastructure but had no features in the game. However, in GTA 5, a mission could manipulate the stock markets and also buy and sell stocks on the players mobile phone in the game.

Also Read: Will Bitcoin Drop Below $20k to Finish the Unfinished Job?

I heard recently that in GTA 6, some missions will reward you in bitcoin instead of cash for completing some missions.

The stock market feature will return, with the addition of a broker for different cryptocurrencies. If GTA 6 incorporates this right, it's huge for crypto.

Another rumor doing the rounds is that the GTA 6 cryptocurrency could be named Bitcoin. Speculations are rife that Rockstar Games wants to parody Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency markets in the game. Also, Rockstar Games has a history of poking fun at things that makes the game stand apart from the rest. You can read more details about the Bitcoin-GTA 6 rumors here.

It is widely speculated that Rockstar Games could have an in-built blockchain and a token named $RSTAR as its native currency. Players could own both cash and RSTAR simultaneously, and use the token for different kind of missions that involves anonymity. However, these are rumors only and none of the developments are confirmed. We will have to wait and watch when GTA 6 releases to find out whats in the game.

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GTA 6: Top 3 Rumors About Cryptocurrency Integration - Watcher Guru

Bitcoin Exchange-traded fund (ETF)

getty

While investors wait for a spot bitcoin ETF (exchange-traded fund) in the United States, many investors may not realize that there are already dozens of crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) available across the world. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, an ETP can be thought of as a packaging layer around an asset or group of assets such as bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, which trades on an exchange like a security. Common exchanges where crypto ETPs can be found include OTCQX by OTC Markets, Nasdaq Nordic, CME GroupCME (for crypto futures and options), Deutsche Brses Xetra, Swiss SIX Exchange and Canadas Toronto Stock Exchange.

Unsurprisingly, there continues to be a lot of confusion about ETPs, especially when it comes to crypto. This knowledge gap can be limiting to people looking for ways to gain crypto exposure without directly holding the asset.

The acronyms above tend to be used interchangeably, but each has its own distinct meaning and there are important differences when it comes to tax treatment, credit risk, ease of trading and rules governing deposits/redemptions that you should know.

To start, ETP is the catch-all term. Every acronym such as ETF or CEF (closed-end fund) falls under the ETP family. Similarities between these products include that they:

Even so, there are a number of substantial differences. For instance, as a result of their unique structures, ETF prices trade at or close to their net asset value (NAV) while CEF share prices can trade at a substantial premium or discount relative to the funds NAV. This is something that we have seen quite often with Grayscale products (see chart).

GBTC Discount Chart

YCharts

Additionally, some ETPs may be restricted to certain investor classes, such as those with a large amount of assets. For instance, only accredited investors can purchase shares in Grayscale products directly from the issuer. On the other hand, ETFs and Grayscale funds trading on the secondary market are open to retail traders.

Among all Grayscale products, the firms bitcoin trust is by far the industrys largest fund available to investors by AUM (assets under management) US$14.05 billion as of this writing. It also offers other similarly-structured products tracking other assets such as ethereum, litecoin, ethereum classic and even a diversified index.

But the crypto ETP market is far more than Grayscale. For instance, Switzerlands SIX Swiss Exchange has a robust roster of crypto ETPs exceeding 40 tickers, with the largest by trading volume being WisdomTree BitcoinBTC (BTCW.SW) and 21Shares Ethereum ETH ETP (AETH.SW). Canadas Toronto Stock Exchange launched North Americas first crypto ETFs in the first quarter of 2021: Purpose Bitcoin ETF (BTCC)which got off to a very strong start raising nearly US$1 billion in its first monthEvolve Bitcoin ETF (EBIT) and CI Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (BTCX).

Additionally, October 2021 saw the launch of the U.S.s first bitcoin ETFs. However, they do not reflect the spot price of bitcoin, but futures contracts that trade on platforms such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The first to launch in October was the ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO). However, other offerings include the Valkyrie Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BTF) and the VanEck Bitcoin Strategy ETF (XBTF).

Table of Crypto Exchange Products

Forbes

In most cases, the solution is as simple as having an account at a brokerage firm with access to foreign exchanges where crypto ETPs trade or the OTC Markets exchange. Additionally, qualified investors have a few more investing options because certain ETNs can only be offered to this more sophisticated audience.

Forbes is a bona fide news publication, not an investment advisor, registered broker-dealer, or exchange, and nothing in this publication should be construed as investment advice, research, or investment advisory services. Forbes site is not tailored to a specific readers or prospective readers current or future investment portfolio, investment objectives, or other needs. The content provided in this publication is for informational purposes only. No part of this publication should be construed as a solicitation, offer, opinion, endorsement, or recommendation by Forbes to buy or sell any security, investment, cryptocurrency, or digital good or property in the metaverse. You should consult your legal and tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

I am director of research for digital assets at Forbes. I was recently at Kraken, a cryptocurrency exchange based in the United States. Before joining Kraken I served as Chief Operating Officer at the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, a non-profit trade association dedicated to the comprehensive adoption of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies across global markets. Before joining the WSBA, I was the Lead Associate within the Emerging Technologies practice at Spitzberg Partners, a boutique corporate advisory firm that advises leading firms across industries on blockchain technology. Previously I was Vice President/Lead Strategy Analyst at Citi FinTech, where I drove strategic and new business development initiatives for Citigroups Global Retail and Consumer Bank business across 20 countries. I also served five years as a Senior Intelligence Analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton supporting the U.S. Department of Defense. I have a B.S. in Business Administration from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University and a M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Additionally, I am a Certified Information Privacy Professional (United States, Canada, and the European Union) and a Certified Information Privacy Technologist at the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

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The Genesis Of Cryptocurrency Exchange-Traded Products - Forbes

What happened

Cryptocurrencies were a stinker of an asset class on Wednesday, but you wouldn't know that from the performance of one of their top exchange operators. Coinbase (COIN 5.18%) saw its share price rise by almost 3% on the day following an analyst's price-target bump; this performance trounced that of the S&P 500 index, which wilted at a 0.7% pace.

Well before market open that day, Atlantic Equities' Simon Clinch made the move. He now pegs Coinbase's fair value at $63 per share, far higher than his previous $46 estimation. He's not ready to change his recommendation, however, which is a bit of a shame for investors as he continues to rate the stock a neutral.

Clinch's latest research note on Coinbase wasn't immediately available. However, it comes just after a very bullish Tuesday for cryptocurrencies in general and related assets specifically. That day Bitcoin, inarguably the bellwether coin of its realm, notched a nearly one-year price high -- $26,500 per coin, to be exact.

That had a knock-on effect with said assets, and as a leading crypto exchange operator, Coinbase certainly qualifies.

Yet cryptocurrencies and, by extension, Coinbase, might be in for some rocky times ahead.

Inflation is still a drag on both the U.S. and the global economy. While investors are hoping for a break or a comedown in the Federal Reserve's recent series of interest rate rises, this is by no means assured. High rates tend to dampen enthusiasm for investments considered to be more speulative, and as a group, cryptos and crypto-adjacent securities are usually lumped into this category.

Eric Volkman has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and Coinbase Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Why Coinbase Stock Was a Cryptocurrency Winner on Wednesday - The Motley Fool

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Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to be everywhere these days. With the rise of ChatGPT and other trending AI applications, many cryptocurrencies have been rushing to adopt it as well. However, not all AI is created equal. Logical-AI, an approach adopted by Tau, has been an integral part of Agoras token for a long time, and it is what sets it apart from other cryptocurrencies.

Agoras ($AGRS) is the first cryptocurrency entirely run by its users in a sound manner. It is the cryptocurrency of Tau Net, a user-controlled blockchain network. This unprecedented user control over the network and its tokenomics is made possible by Tau technology, which is based on the use of Logical AI a combination of a unique software specification language and communication paradigm. The use of Logical AI allows Tau to detect and calculate agreed constraints and highlight points of agreement, disagreement, and implications across conversations in formal languages. The resulting specification is executable by Taus backend, creating correct-by-construction software, and giving users direct control over the network.

Are other blockchains really decentralized?

While many blockchain projects claim to have decentralized development, their methods cannot be considered sound because they ask their users to vote on code patches manually or use machine-learning techniques for mass voting, which are statistical in nature. Further, code is implemented by a centralized development team who has to be trusted, and even if trusted, cannot write code with a proof of accurate outcome.

On Tau Net, users will govern the development of the system by saying what they want the network to be like in the form of statements that satisfy rules and changes to be implemented. The system will then calculate the agreement among the users and implement the next version of Tau Net into the next block in the blockchain.

How Agoras works

The economic aspect of Tau Net will be fully powered by Agoras. Tau Net users will be able to collaboratively and continuously influence every component of the Agoras tokenomics, which will make Agoras the first cryptocurrency fully and soundly run by its users.

For example, one user might prefer deflationary system that rewards active participants in the network. Another user might actively participate in the network and prefer to be rewarded for it. The next user might wish for Agoras to be deflationary. Tau Net will calculate the collective agreement on the desired behavior of Agoras and conclude that it will become deflationary by burning 50% of all transaction fees and reward active network participants by redistributing 50% of all transaction fees across all active wallets that hold the token. Tau Net will then automatically adjust the tokenomics to accurately match the specification.

The utility of Agoras

By leveraging Taus AI-based collaborative development technology, Agoras tokenomics, and utility will evolve to reflect its users collective wants and will represent the total purchasing capability of all increasingly available assets in the system. Initially, Agoras will be used to trade knowledge, computer resources, and derivatives.

User knowledge shared through discussions on Tau Net will be integrated into an extremely powerful Knowledgebase where users will have the option to make each piece of their knowledge accessible to the network in order to exchange it for Agoras ($AGRS) and other assets. Tau Net will detect when a piece of a users knowledge is a solution to someone elses problem and advertise it to them. This will give users an unprecedented opportunity to earn from their knowledge effortlessly, directly, and continuously.

Users will also have the option to make idle computer resources in smartphones, laptops, and tablets, such as a CPU, hard drive, and GPU available to trade and rent for Agoras and other assets in Tau Nets economy. While selling a fraction of your CPU in traditional markets can be very difficult, in the Agoras economy, even fractions of computer resources can be monetized. Combining millions of users computers will generate enormous computational resources, that could easily surpass all the servers of the biggest tech companies.

Tau Net will also offer a derivatives market, in which, Agoras will be used to trade financial instruments such as futures and options. Agoras will also have the ability to provide risk-free interest without inflation in the token supply.

Benefits of AI cryptocurrency

While many cryptocurrencies are adopting AIs that are based on machine learning, Agoras is unique in its use of logic-based AI. This approach, which is the basis of Tau technology, allows Agoras users to have control over the network and its tokenomics, not only making it truly decentralized but also enabling it to evolve in a sound way. The use of Logical AI sets Agoras apart from other cryptocurrencies and paves the way for the next era of user-controlled cryptocurrencies.

Join Tau Net and Agoras community and learn more at tau.net.

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Agoras Leads the Way in AI-Based User-Controlled Cryptocurrency ... - Bitcoin News

Cryptocurrency mixers are definitely advantageous in providing an extra layer of security to crypto assets. However, theres a good reason why they are also frowned upon by a lot of people, especially by the authorities and government regulators.

Cryptocurrency has gained significant popularity over the years as an alternative means of payment and investment. However, as cryptocurrency transactions are not tied to any specific individual or entity, there is a potential risk of privacy infringement. This is where cryptocurrency mixers come in.

A cryptocurrency mixer, also known as tumbler, is a platform that allows users to mix or combine their cryptocurrencies with others to enhance their privacy and anonymity. Essentially, a mixer scrambles the transaction history of a particular cryptocurrency and replaces it with a new one. This makes it difficult to trace the original transaction back to the sender, thus providing a layer of privacy and anonymity.

The mechanics of a cryptocurrency mixer involve users sending their cryptocurrency to the mixers platform. The mixer then blends the cryptocurrency with other users currencies and sends it back to their respective wallets. As a result, the transaction history of the original currency is scrambled and becomes untraceable.

Cryptocurrency mixers can be centralized or decentralized. Centralized mixers are operated by a third-party company while decentralized mixers rely on peer-to-peer networks.

One of the main advantages of cryptocurrency mixers is enhanced privacy and anonymity. Users can transact without worrying about their personal information being exposed to the public.

This is particularly useful for people who want to keep their financial transactions private, such as high-profile individuals or businesses. Cryptocurrency mixers also provide a means for people living in countries with strict financial regulations to transact anonymously.

However, cryptocurrency mixers also have their downsides. One of the main concerns is that they can be used for illegal activities such as money laundering, drug trafficking, and terrorism financing.

The anonymity provided by cryptocurrency mixers makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace the origins of illegal activities. In fact, some countries have banned the use of cryptocurrency mixers entirely to prevent criminal activities.

Another downside of these platforms is that they can be expensive. Cryptocurrency mixers charge a fee for their services, which can range from a fraction of a percent to as high as 10% of the total transaction amount. This can make it costly for people who want to mix large amounts of cryptocurrency.

Furthermore, since these mostly operate on the darknet, users risk entrusting their funds to shady individuals operating the platform.

Cryptocurrency mixers are a useful tool for enhancing privacy and anonymity in cryptocurrency transactions. However, they also have numerous downsides, particularly in their potential use for illegal activities. This is the key reason why regulators frown upon them.

It is essential to weigh the pros and cons before using cryptocurrency mixers and to ensure that they comply with local regulations. Additionally, it is important to note that while cryptocurrency mixers can provide privacy, they do pose cybersecurity issues and your funds may be mixed in with others sourced from illicit activities.

Its best to avoid these altogether as the blockchain alone already comes with tons of security features to protect your crypto assets.

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Essential Stuff You Need To Know About Cryptocurrency Mixers - Blockzeit