Tag Archives: crypto

Cryptocurrency’s Dark Side: Money Laundering and Other Criminal Activities

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Cryptocurrency’s Dark Side:

Cryptocurrency has become increasingly popular in recent years, but its anonymous nature and ease of use have also made it a prime target for criminals. Money laundering, drug trafficking, and terrorist financing are just a few of the illicit activities that cryptocurrency has been used to facilitate.

One of the biggest challenges in combating cryptocurrency-related crime is the difficulty of tracing transactions. Unlike traditional financial transactions, cryptocurrency transactions are not subject to the same regulatory oversight. This makes it difficult for law enforcement to track down criminals and recover stolen funds. Another challenge is the international nature of cryptocurrency transactions. Criminals can easily transfer cryptocurrency across borders, making it difficult for law enforcement to jurisdictionally investigate and prosecute crimes.

Despite these challenges, there are a number of steps that can be taken to address the use of cryptocurrency for criminal purposes. One important step is to increase regulation of the cryptocurrency industry. This would help to increase transparency and make it more difficult for criminals to use cryptocurrency anonymously. Another important step is to improve international cooperation in investigating and prosecuting cryptocurrency-related crimes. Law enforcement agencies need to be able to share information and coordinate their efforts across borders in order to effectively combat this type of crime.

Market Manipulation

Cryptocurrency markets are highly susceptible to manipulation. This is due in part to the lack of regulation and the relatively small size of the cryptocurrency market.

One common form of market manipulation is wash trading. Wash trading is when an insider buys and sells the same cryptocurrency at the same time in order to create artificial trading volume. This can make the cryptocurrency appear more popular and valuable than it actually is.

Another common form of market manipulation is front-running. Front-running is when an insider uses their knowledge of upcoming trades to place their own trades ahead of time. This allows them to profit from the price movements that they have created.

Market manipulation can have a significant impact on investors. When investors are misled into believing that a cryptocurrency is more valuable than it actually is, they may be more likely to invest in it. This can lead to significant losses when the price of the cryptocurrency eventually falls.

There are a number of steps that can be taken to address market manipulation in the cryptocurrency market. One important step is to increase regulation. Regulation would help to increase transparency and make it more difficult for insiders to manipulate the market.

Another important step is to educate investors about the risks of market manipulation. Investors need to be aware of the different ways in which the market can be manipulated and how to protect themselves from becoming victims.

Investment Risks

Cryptocurrency is a very risky investment. Cryptocurrencies are volatile and unregulated, which means that their prices can fluctuate wildly. This makes them a poor choice for investors who are not comfortable with a high degree of risk.

In addition, cryptocurrency exchanges have been hacked on numerous occasions, resulting in the theft of millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency. Investors also face the risk of losing their cryptocurrency if they forget their private keys or if their wallets are compromised.

Another risk associated with cryptocurrency investment is the potential for fraud. There have been a number of cases of cryptocurrency scams and Ponzi schemes. Investors need to be careful and do their research before investing in any cryptocurrency.

Environmental Impact

Cryptocurrency mining is a very energy-intensive process. In 2021, the Bitcoin network consumed more electricity than the entire country of Argentina. This is a major environmental concern, as it contributes to climate change.

In addition, cryptocurrency mining often takes place in countries with cheap electricity and lax environmental regulations. This can lead to environmental damage, such as air pollution and water contamination.

There are a number of ways to reduce the environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining. One way is to use renewable energy sources to power mining operations. Another way is to develop more efficient mining hardware.

Regulatory Challenges

Cryptocurrency is still a relatively new asset class, and there is no clear regulatory framework in place. This makes it difficult for investors to protect themselves from fraud and other abuses.

In addition, the lack of regulation makes it difficult for law enforcement to track down and prosecute criminals who use cryptocurrency.

There are a number of regulatory challenges that need to be addressed in order to create a more stable and secure cryptocurrency market. One challenge is to develop clear regulations that protect investors and prevent fraud. Another challenge is to develop international regulations that coordinate the oversight of cryptocurrency markets across borders.

Conclusion

Cryptocurrency has the potential to revolutionize the financial system, but it is important to be aware of the dark side of cryptocurrency before investing. Investors should carefully consider their risk tolerance and investment goals before making any decisions.

https://crypto.news/various-crypto-scams-cost-users-over-32m-in-october/

https://www.electronicpaymentsinternational.com/news/signal-cryptos-dark-side-is-back-in-the-news-how-bad-is-it-really/?cf-view

https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/10/20/unraveling-the-dark-side-of-crypto/

https://cryptopotato.com/dark-side-of-crypto-etf-approval-unveiling-the-hidden-risks-and-challenges-for-markets-and-investors/

https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/education-centre/the-dark-side-of-the-blockchain/

Engine Used: DeepAI

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The Dark web – Will it get any brighter?

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A timeline

First of all, what is known as the dark web?

“The dark web is the hidden collective of internet sites only accessible by a specialized web browser. It is used for keeping internet activity anonymous and private, which can be helpful in both legal and illegal applications.” (Kaspersky.com)

The first concept started in the 1960s with the conception of what was known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). The main idea of this invention was the ability to share information on a long-distance without any connection to the internet. The 1960s also being the period of great tension amongst countries, ARPANET became a tool to share intel during the cold war. 

Only a decade after the first illegal transaction was made at Stanford University. Allegedly, students would’ve used ARPANET accounts to pay for marijuana with MIT students. This was part of the many experiences that researchers led. Of course, having such potential, the government wanted to be a part of it, which led founders to divide ARPANET into two parts: MILNET and the civilian version of ARPANET. MILNET was the governmental-owned part, which was used for military and secret agencies, while ARPANET was what will later become the internet.

The true beginning started in the 1990s when the onion router (Tor), a private Internet browsing network would connect dark websites. Initially, Tor didn’t take off right away, it had to wait an extra 10 years. In 2002, people looking for free speech and a way to escape oppressive governments would start using Tor. Unfortunately, Tor wasn’t easily accessible and was therefore mostly used by the tech-savvies. 

In 2008, the design was remodeled, and its popularity raised, making access easier to anyone who would want to get involved. The major turning point was in 2009 with the arrival of Bitcoin. The first cryptocurrency would allow making transactions possible while being anonymous. At this point, the dark web was discovered its true underground market potential.

What about today? 

According to CSO, the dark web is said to account for less than 5% of the internet, knowing that the surface web (visible and clear part) accounts for between 1 to 4%. Furthermore, according to ID Agent, “over 133,00 C-level Fortune 1000 executives had their credentials available and accessible on the dark web.”. Finally, probably the most traumatizing fact is that 80% of the traffic is linked to “illegal porn, abuse images and/or child sex abuse material” (theconversation.com)

The dark web will probably remain a place for deviant people to retrieve and share information or illicit items. There is no getting “brighter”, and it will probably remain the same if not worst. Yet with major involvement in cybersecurity, one can hope that the dark web will undergo some regulation.

How to stop the Dark Web?

Unfortunately, dismantling Tor wouldn’t help anything, as it is not the only dark web browser. Firefox and Opera can also be used to access its database.

Since accessibility can’t be stopped, one of the solutions is to prevent data from being leaked. On the big company scale, this means investing in cybersecurity experts, but on the individual level, it is as easy as turning off the light when leaving a room. What I mean is that you have to activate two-step authentication when it is possible, beware of phishing messages and use a different robust password for each of your accounts.

Now in terms of solutions to regulate the flow of illegal information such as child pornography, there isn’t much an individual can do. Unless you are a cybersecurity expert and manage to breach someone’s ID through a VPN ( which is close to impossible), government spending in cybersecurity is the only solution today.

Sources used: 

–      https://www.soscanhelp.com/blog/history-of-the-dark-web#:~:text=ARPANET%2C%20also%20known%20as%20the,later%20on%2C%20the%20dark%20web.&text=This%20can%20be%20seen%20in,ARPANET%20in%20the%20early%201970’s.

–      https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/deep-web

–      https://techjury.net/blog/how-much-of-the-internet-is-the-dark-web/#:~:text=Dark%20web%20statistics%20in%202021,than%205%25%20of%20the%20internet.&text=Besides%2C%20the%20dark%20web%20is,for%201%20to%204%20percent

–      https://theconversation.com/how-the-worlds-biggest-dark-web-platform-spreads-millions-of-items-of-child-sex-abuse-material-and-why-its-hard-to-stop-167107 

–      https://www.cashify.in/top-5-dark-web-browser-for-anonymous-browsing 

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NFTs – What are the market prospects? Should you invest in them?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

When did NFTs start?

As a reminder, NFTs or Non-fungible tokens, or at least the meaning of “non-fungible” means: 

“That it’s unique and can’t be replaced with something else. For example, a bitcoin is fungible — trade one for another bitcoin, and you’ll have the same thing. A one-of-a-kind trading card, however, is non-fungible. If you traded it for a different card, you’d have something completely different.”

“NFTs can really be anything digital (such as drawings, music, your brain downloaded and turned into an AI), but a lot of the current excitement is around using the tech to sell digital art.”

(theverge.com)

Now that we have an understanding of what NFTs are, we can start focusing on the origin of this technology. On the 7th of August 2015, the first NFT was born. Its name was “Terra Nullius”, and it was part of the Ethereum blockchain. It turns out that the NFT had one particularity, it made users able to “claim a stake”. Essentially this means that you were able to insert a short message to personalize the NFT.

Then, a few months later, Etheria v1.1 also named Blockplots was created. Other than being one of the first NFTs to be introduced to the world, Etheria had a specific trait, the buyers were able to buy “tiles” from a 457-piece map. This concept please many NFT creators, and similar concepts were created.

One of them was named “PixelMap”, created at the end of 2016, it allowed users to purchase one or more images from a blockchain with 3,970 pieces available. PixelMap was some sort of combination of Etheria and Terra Nullius, as it not only had a limited number of buys but was also individually customizable. 

The idea of owning individual digital pieces was approved by other creators and therefore decided to diversify the asset. In 2017, Ethereum Name Service was invented, and granted the possibility to users to purchase one of their decentralized domain names. As time went by, you were able to own collectible cards thanks to Curio Cards, or even one of 400 plots on the moon with Lunar Token.

All in all, NFTs have existed since 2015 and have diversified in terms of the content of the purchased asset. Thanks to the graph below, you can visualize that NFTs have just recently become a trend.

Yet as you know now, NFTs have been around for 7 years now, so why is it now so popular?

NFT and its on-growing popularity.

As no media seem to understand the proper reason for its popularity, economic and technological factors, that made sense for NFTs to have such a prosperous run. NFTs’ ability to be purchased by cryptocurrencies is therefore greatly interlinked with Bitcoin’s recent bull run. As you may or may not know, at the end of 2020, reached a record-breaking all-time high of $68,0000. One can think that bitcoins’ popularity has therefore led to crypto-purchasable assets such as NFTs. 

One of the historically notorious NFTs back in late 2017 was CryptoKitties. It turns out that they made a comeback today with the “NBA Top Shot”. The American basketball league and CryptoKitties created NFTs of the best moments of the season. As a result, the duo became the number one source of volume on the NFT market. NBA being having such popularity; one can imagine that the cooperation became a catalyzer for the technology.

Finally, the pandemic has had a major influence on the international market, particularly on the collectibles market. The collectibles market value grew to $522b (irei.com, 2021), explaining one of the reasons why NFTs became so popular.

The different sorts of NFTs

To understand if NFTs are investable today, it is important to understand the different types that exist today.

Today the main types of NFTS on the market are: 

Music: Allowing musicians to create a smaller audience of their biggest fans.

Art: This allows digital art lovers to have their unique pieces.

Access: Tickets that allow you to have access to digital content.

Redeemable: A token that authorizes you to claim a physical good.

Game objects: Think of skins for example (the color of your character in a video game), when purchased by the player, the company still has ownership. With NFTs, the player would have full ownership of the object and be able to benefit from its interoperability. 

Identity: Users will have the possibility to benefit from NFTs interoperability and the blockchain’s secured system.

Web 2.0 Databases: Keeping personal or even professional information decentralized will benefit the user in the way that they will be able to secure them, but also transfer their data to a decentralized system to a centralized one.

Should you invest in NFTs today?

It depends on the sort of investor that you are. If you are a risk-taking capitalist, in that case, trending cryptos such as the BAYC (Bored Ape Yacht Club) NFTs. This company has created many digital arts selling for millions of dollars. One of them, the “Bored Ape #3749”, sold for 740 ETH, the equivalent of around $2.9 million. Many celebrities are contentiously investing in them today, making the prices reach extremely high summits. If you are a specialist in the Art market, in that case, Art NFTs might be for you.

Of course, if you are purchasing the NFTs to support creators, or just because you want to have your “hands” on one, then sure, go for it!

On the other hand, the more “practicable” aspect of NFTs can become a great way to protect your data but also interoperate your credentials to different devices. This feature is becoming an interest for more and more companies, thus you might want to hold on to your wallet, as future competition in the industry will probably rise the buyers’ bargaining power.

Sources used:

–      https://bernardmarr.com/the-10-best-examples-of-nfts/#:~:text=2%20January%202022,lining%20up%20to%20buy%20them

–      https://www.theverge.com/22310188/nft-explainer-what-is-blockchain-crypto-art-faq 

–      https://www.one37pm.com/nft/tech/the-definitive-timeline-of-early-nfts-on-ethereum#:~:text=1.,’claim’%20on%20the%20blockchain

–      https://nftevening.com/terra-nullius-nft-project-is-the-newest-oldest-nft-in-existence/ 

–      https://medium.com/momentum6/nfts-have-a-future-beyond-investment-the-seven-types-of-nfts-you-can-get-today-674195d78087

–      https://influencermarketinghub.com/nfts-statistics/  

–      https://medium.com/geekculture/how-did-nfts-become-so-popular-f894eea22f90 

–      https://time.com/nextadvisor/investing/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-record-high-price/ 

–      https://irei.com/news/collectibles-market-value-grow-522b/ 

–      https://www.nftsstreet.com/top-10-most-expensive-bored-ape-yacht-club-nfts/ 

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PayPal is considering launching its own cryptocurrency

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Online payment service PayPal is considering launching its own cryptocurrency, Jose Fernandez Daponte, senior vice president of cryptocurrencies and digital currencies, told Bloomberg Told.
PayPal is considering the possibility of issuing so-called stablecoins, top executives explained. Such cryptocurrencies are fixed to existing currencies or other real-world assets and help stabilize their value. Fernandez da Ponte assured that if the company decides to launch its own cryptocurrency, it will work with regulators to do so.

Dlaczego założyć konto PayPal i jak to zrobić? [PORADNIK]

Bloomberg states that
signs that PayPal is creating cryptocurrencies were found by developer Steve Moser in the code for a digital wallet application for the iPhone. According to the information and images received, the cryptocurrency may be called PayPal Coin and will be pegged to the US dollar.
A PayPal representative explained to Bloomberg that the revealed images and code are the result of a hackathon in the Department of Blockchain, Cryptocurrency and Digital Currencies. At hackathons, developers usually create and test new products that may not reach a fullfledged launch: this means that the PayPal cryptocurrency logo, its name and characteristics may change by the time of the public release, Bloomberg noted.

Co to jest kryptowaluta? | Coinbase


PayPal allowed users to pay with cryptocurrencies in March 2021 and has since expanded its set of tools for transactions with it. The admission of cryptocurrencies to PayPal and their acceptance by other institutional investors has been one of the reasons for the new rise in the value of cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoin, the price of which rose above $68,000 in November 2021. Since then, the price of the world’s largest cryptocurrency has fallen by 40%.

Links

https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/2020-10-21-PayPal-Launches-New-Service-Enabling-Users-to-Buy-Hold-and-Sell-Cryptocurrency

https://newsroom.paypal-corp.com/news

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How to keep all your data on your phone safe? There is a solution!

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The solution is BOB.
It might sound funny but actually this acronym stands for „Blok on Blok” phone. The modular, blockchain-protected phone was presented at CES 2019 at the beginning of this year, and the upcoming CES 2020 awarded him the prestigious Innovation Award Honoree.

„BOB marks a big step forward in our mission of creating a Blockchain Internet, a fully decentralized network where every piece of data shared is under the owner’s control” Zac Cheah, PundiX co-founder and CEO, said.

BOB, previously called XPhone, offers a completely decentralized ecosystem, thanks to which users have complete control over their data. It is based on the Function X OS open-source operating system. Because it uses the blockchain ecosystem, every action on the phone, such as sending SMSs, making calls, browsing websites and sharing files, takes place in a decentralized network, making it highly encrypted and thus secure. Each BOB unit is a node that supports the entire Function X blockchain system.

In addition, the phone supports Android 9.0 Pie in traditional mode. It’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset with the Adreno 512 graphics processor and connected to 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of mass storage. BOB has a 4.97-inch AMOLED screen with Full HD resolution. The phone is equipped with a main camera with a resolution of 48 MP and a front camera with a resolution of 16 MP. In addition, it is also a modular telephone, which means that users can assemble it with various components to create personalized versions. Each piece of the BOB camera is delivered with a MOD mounting kit containing several standard modules. Non-standard parts can be bought on the company’s website.  

 

The phone is now available for pre-order for a starting price of $599 and of course, considering Pundi X main activity, payment in cryptocurrencies is also possible.

If you would like to find out more I highly recommend to visit the manufacturer website:
https://functionx.io/#/bob

Sources:
https://functionx.io/#
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5189616.0
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/pundi-x-unveils-blok-blok-worlds-first-fully-blockchain-powered-smartphone-108714
https://www.coindesk.com/pundixs-blockchain-phone-is-now-called-bob-and-its-coming-soon

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