NEWSBLOG - BLOCKCHAIN, BITCOIN, RIPPLE

Many investors are keenly interested in Bitcoin , Ripple or Ethereum, but even criminals have a preference for cyber-funds. Recent developments in the news blog.

+++ 12:20 pm +++

Mark Carney: Bitcoin and Co have no future as money for all
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin will not prevail as a common currency in the opinion of the British central bank chief Mark Carney. Cyber-Devisen will continue to serve as complementary currencies for a limited group of people, Carney said on Friday at an event in London. "The short answer is: you fail," he emphasized. The Canadian also heads the Financial Stability Board, an important international body that regulates the industry.

A ban on cyber currencies does not demand the head of the Bank of England. The technology behind it has promising applications. But internet devisions need to be regulated in a similar way to other sectors of the financial sector. "Cryptocurrencies raise a lot of questions," Carney said. These included the protection of consumers and investors, money laundering, terrorist financing, tax evasion and capital controls.
+++ March 2nd, 6:10 pm +++

Japan's crypto exchanges want to supervise themselves
According to insiders, the 16 Japanese-registered crypto exchanges want to self-regulate. An appropriate company should be set up in the spring, said two people familiar with the plans Reuters news agency. The project could be announced on Friday. The stock exchanges wanted to protect investors.

The trigger was one of the biggest cyber-currency thefts in January, the insiders said. Hackers attacked the Coincheck trading platform and captured $ 534 million. This had revealed gaps in Japan's cryptocurrency policy. In February, one of the stock exchanges was able to get investors free of charge for a Bitcoin bug for a short time. No one benefited from this. Japan is one of the strongholds of digital currency trading alongside China and South Korea.

+++ February 28th, 15:30 pm +++

Volksbanks call for crypto regulation
The German cooperative banks demand a state regulation of Bitcoin and Co. The Federal Government should set itself on national, European and global level for clear legal framework conditions for transactions with cryptocurrencies, so the federation of the people and Raiffeisenbanken (BVR) in a current study.

+++ 27th February, 10:22 am +++

Self-proclaimed Bitcoin founder sued for suspected fraud
Craig Wright, the self-proclaimed inventor of Bitcoin, is accused of having deceived his 2013 cryptographer Dave Kleiman , reports the Bloomberg news agency.

Dave Kleiman's family suspects Wright has falsified contracts and signatures to get Kleiman bitcoins. It insists that they own the rights to more than one million five billion dollar bitcoins and blockchain technologies that Kleiman generated during his lifetime. In addition, the family accuses the entrepreneur of violating Kleiman's partnership obligations and of improper enrichment.

"Craig has made a series of contracts that allegedly transfer Dave's assets and controlled companies to him," the lawyers in the Kleiman family said. "Craig backdated those contracts and faked Dave's signature." The Australian living in London was unable to reach an opinion.

+++ 26th February, 16:22 pm +++

Meeting with representatives of the cryptocurrency industry
Frankfurt hosts the Crypto Assets Conference 2018, an international meeting of the cryptocurrency industry. At the invitation of the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, some 330 participants from science, crypto companies, regulatory authorities and banks will be discussing the future of the still young industry by Tuesday. The industry hopes the meeting will boost the professionalization of its long-eyed business
+++ 26th February, 15:24 clock +++

EU Commission reviews regulation of cryptocurrencies
The European Commission is examining whether rules are needed at EU level, said its Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis on Monday. This will be done by assessing the risks, opportunities and adequacy of current regulation. Individual components of Bitcoin technology are innovative and promising, but cryptocurrencies have become a speculative object at the same time. "Investors and consumers are exposed to risks, even total loss." Therefore, clear information and warnings are important.

Dombrovskis spoke after a meeting with regulators and industry representatives on the issue in Brussels. The results of the interview will feed into the Commission's forthcoming fintech initiative and a meeting of the 20 leading industrialized and emerging economies (G20). "It's a global phenomenon, and that's why a global response is needed," said the Latvian. "But that does not mean that the EU can not act sooner."

+++ February 22nd, 15:05 pm +++

Bitcoin slips below the $ 10,000 mark
The price of Bitcoin continues to fluctuate: on Thursday afternoon, the cryptocurrency fell below the $ 10,000 mark. Only in December, the Bitcoin had risen to a record high of $ 20,000. In early February, the digital currency crashed to $ 6,000.
+++ 18:05 clock +++

"Bitcoins will not be worth much in ten years time."
He has to know it, right? Economist Kenneth Rogoff predicts a short half-life for Bitcoin .

"Bitcoins will not be worth much in ten years time"
+++ 17:30 clock +++

Venezuela introduces its own cryptocurrency called Petro
The crisis-ridden Venezuela introduces its own cryptocurrency Petro. On Tuesday began the presale. "The Petro was born. Today is a historic day. Venezuela is the first state, the first nation to bring a cryptocurrency based on its mineral wealth to the market, "said Vice President Tareck El Aissami. In view of the economic sanctions of the United States and the lack of foreign exchange, the Venezuelan government wants to regain access to the international financial markets with the Petro. The currency is to be hedged with the huge oil reserves of the South American country. At the beginning, five billion barrels of oil (159 liters each) are reported as safety for the Petro.

+++ 16:40 clock +++

EU Commission invites to Digital Currency Conference
In the face of rapid price fluctuations and uncertainties in digital currencies, the EU Commission is focusing on additional regulations. A high-level conference with representatives of regulators, central banks and market participants will be held in Brussels on 26 February, EU Finance Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said after the meeting of EU finance ministers on Tuesday in Brussels. "The aim is to look at long-term trends and to see if the current legal framework is adequate."

+++ 20th of February, 14:15 pm +++

Government official for the settlement of cryptocurrencies found dead
According to media reports from the Wall Street Journal, one of the most important cryptocurrency overseers was found dead in South Korea. Some media report that 52-year-old Jung Ki-Joon died of a heart attack. But according to an official report, the cause of death is still unclear. The South Korean government announced a few months ago, the regulation for aggravating Bitcoin and Co. . Thereafter, a dispute has arisen within the government over whether the crypto currencies are banned, regulated or taxed.

+++ February 19th, 3:56 pm +++

"Bitcoin regulation could be beneficial to the market"
The $ 11,000 mark has cracked the Bitcoin again. How to interpret the rise and fall of the Bitcoin course? Financial editor Felix Holtermann has answered the questions of Handelsblatt readers live on Facebook . Here's the recording:

+++ February 19th, 12:29 pm +++

Bitcoin rises above $ 11,000 mark
Since the end of January, the Bitcoin has cracked the 11,000-point mark for the first time at the weekend. On Monday, the cryptocurrency was below $ 11,000.

At the beginning of February, there had been a massive sell-off due to fears of stricter regulation and rumors of price manipulation. On February 6, Bitcoin dropped to less than $ 6,000. Since then he has risen again by 80 percent.

+++ February 19th, 11:15 am +++

Bitcoin mining is becoming more and more expensive
The production of a single bitcoin costs according to estimate of the bank JP Morgan about 3900 US dollar - ten times as much as in the past year. The reason for the increase is therefore an arms race between the Bitcoin "miners", which drives the cost of coining new bitcoins to the new all-time high.

The production works as follows: The "Miner" carry out highly complex arithmetic operations and receive for it fresh Bitcoins.

+++ 18 February, 15:52 clock +++

Chief of the Basel Banking Committee warns of Bitcoin

The head of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision warns financial institutions against doing business with Bitcoin. "Given the potential money-laundering risk inherent in this market, it would be quite difficult for banks to become active in these markets on a large scale," said Stefan Ingves, who is also the Swedish central bank governor, in an interview with the Handelsblatt .

Banks are required to identify their customers, Ingves said. In addition, the price increases in the Bitcoin are very large. "This shows that crypto currencies are very risky and have nothing in common with a regular payment system. That's why I advise banks to keep their hands off. "

+++ 16 February, 15:45 clock +++

Hacker group steals $ 50 million worth of Bitcoin
A group of hackers has looted Bitcoin worth $ 50 million (just under $ 40 million) through simple phishing advertising. This is reported by security researchers from the Cisco-owned Talos Group . The so-called "Coinhoarder" (coin collectors) switched over the Google Adwords program . These surfaced in web searches of people who had searched for crypto currency keywords. The ads led to the phishing site of the hacker group, where the victims were led to enter credentials for the Bitcoin wallet blockchain.info. With this information, the hackers could plunder the accounts.

Talos said the attack was from Ukraine. For more than six months, Talos had been monitoring activities with Ukrainian security agencies. It's not the only case: Apparently the region is becoming a hotspot for crypto-crime.

+++ 15:06 clock +++

Number of crypto-hedge funds continues to grow
Despite Bitcoin's recent fall, cryptocurrency-focused hedge funds are springing up like mushrooms. In the four months to mid-February, the number of funds specializing in cyber-currency trading globally doubled to 226 with assets under management of $ 3.5- $ 5 billion, according to a Thursday research house Autonomous Next , In mid-August 2017, according to market researchers, there were 55 such funds, 37 at the beginning of last year.

+++ 13:15 pm +++

For Bitcoin again close to the $ 10,000 limit
For the most famous virtual currency, it is back up: on Tuesday, the price rose 3.6 percent to 9,713 dollars. The virtual currency reached the record on December 17, when it had crossed the $ 20,000 mark on various trading platforms .

+++ 11:22 am +++

Four percent of Germans have already used Bitcoin
The majority of people in Germany know something about the term Bitcoin, but only a very small minority have already gained practical experience with the digital currency. This is the result of a representative survey published Thursday by the industry association Bitkom. Around two-thirds (64 percent) of respondents said that they have heard of Bitcoin before. Only four percent have already purchased or used Bitcoin.

The association was responsible for the rapid price gains with Bitcoin, but also reports of spectacular thefts and fraud with the cryptocurrency and the strong price fluctuations for the increasing awareness. Only 36 percent of Bitcoin had heard in 2016, compared to just 14 percent in 2013. Currently, 19 percent of respondents say they can imagine buying and using Bitcoin. However, the vast majority (72 percent) say they are not interested in using Bitcoin.

Currently, crypto currencies are only of interest to a very small circle of users, said Bitkom CEO Bernhard Rohleder. "Only those who enjoy the game and can easily cope with a total loss should bet on quick speculative profits."

+++ 15th of February, 11.09 am +++

Saudi Arabia Central Bank cooperates with Ripple
The central bank in Saudi Arabia is expanding its cryptocurrency business. It said it was the first central bank worldwide to partner with US-based US cryptography firm Ripple, which provides a cyber-devise and associated blockchain technology that banks can use to provide payment services.

Cryptocurrencies as the "next Swiss bank account" is becoming a nightmare for states
The use of virtual money to park assets offshore is developing rapidly - especially since there are so-called privacy coins such as ZCash and Monero. Methods such as encryption are used to make the sums untraceable. According to Grayscale Investments, a New York-based firm offering investors a ZCash Trust, around $ 10 trillion is held overseas worldwide. ZCash could capture about ten percent of it by 2025, says Matthew Beck of Grayscale.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies money laundering study recommends that governments pursue the criminal use of cryptocurrencies while respecting financial innovation. Above all, according to the study, the regulators should have no illusions about being able to completely break down cryptocurrencies. That is not possible.

+++ 17.10 clock +++

Western Union relies on ripple for transactions
Those who want to transfer money to exotic countries use Western Union in many cases. The remittance office now wants to use a new technology to make transactions happen: the crypto currency Ripple.

After months of speculation, CEO Hikmet Ersek now confirms that both Blockchain technology is under review and initial transactions with Ripple have been completed.

"Above all, we look at the process-related processing and the optimization of the capital employed (" working capital ")," said Ersek when presenting the business figures on Tuesday. In addition, the prudential requirements for crypto transactions would be examined. (Bloomberg)

+++ 15:27 clock +++

Bitcoin back over $ 9,000
For the first time since February 2, the cryptocurrency Bitcoin has again reached the $ 9,000 mark.

+++ 14th February, 12:04 pm +++

South Korea plans strict regulation of cryptocurrencies
South Korea wants to step up its fight against illegal and unfair trading in cryptocurrencies. At the same time, however, the blockchain technology, on which Bitcoin & Co. are based, should be promoted, said Hong Nam-Ki, Minister for the Coordination of Government Policy, in Seoul on Wednesday. He responded to a petition with 280,000 signatures calling for a ban on cyber-currency trading. South Korea's Attorney General had initially brought a shutdown of all crypto exchanges in the country in conversation. Shortly thereafter, however, the government rowed back. South Korea is one of the strongholds of the trade with Bitcoin & Co.

However, the government is divided over the scope of the planned regulation, Hong said. "The positions range from a total ban on trade to the involvement of crypto currency companies in the existing system." In parallel, the Ministry of Finance is working on methods to tax virtual currencies. In the coming months, an initiative to promote blockchain technology should also be presented.

+++ 16.12 clock +++

Japan suffers the biggest virtual currency robbery in history
Japan's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, Coincheck, is currently flocking to customers, having to admit on Friday that deposits in the Nem currency have been deducted from client accounts. About 40 billion yen, or 302 million euros, these deposits were worth, said the day-to-day manager Yusuke Otsuka. Although the company wants to replace the affected customers 340 million euros. "We have the resources, but we conduct individual audits to avoid payout issues," Otsuka said Tuesday. But not only is it still open, if she can do it. Also, the recent case reveals again the old problems of the new stock exchanges: lack of security and thin capital ceilings.

+++ February 13, 12:36 pm +++

Icelandic power company energy emergency due to Bitcoin
The high energy consumption to generate the digital currency Bitcoin makes headlines. Island-based Bitcoin producers are expected to consume more electricity this year than all Icelandic households combined, according to spokesman for the Icelandic energy company HS Orkas, Johann Snorri Sigurbergsson, on BBC's British TV channel.

The reason for the high energy consumption was that more and more data centers, including so-called "miners", wanted to settle in Iceland. There are a large number of customer inquiries, Sigurbergsson said: "If all these projects are realized, we will not have enough energy for them."

+++ 17.35 clock +++

Cryptocurrencies slightly up
The most important cryptocurrencies have started slightly better in the new week: On the early Monday evening Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple are in the green zone. For Bitcoin, it is almost four percent up to about $ 8,730, Ethereum is over two percent plus, Ripple just under three percent. This is shown by figures from the analysis house Coinmarketcap, which analyzes the most important stock exchanges. The big digital currencies are not responding to the warning of European financial supervisors.

+++ 16:35 pm +++

EU financial supervisors warn against digital currencies
The headwind for digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, is on the increase: The leading financial supervisors in the European Union (EU) have urgently warned against the dangers of cryptocurrencies. There was concern that an increasing number of consumers were buying virtual currencies without being aware of the risks involved, according to a joint statement by EU financial regulators ESMA, EBA and EIOPA.

Europe's financial supervisors warned, "Virtual currencies like Bitcoin are subject to extreme price fluctuations and show clear signs of blistering." Those who invest in cryptocurrencies need to be aware that they could lose a large amount, if not the entire amount. In the case of theft by hackers or the bankruptcy of a crypto exchange, there is also no investor protection under EU law. The current warning is more comprehensive than previous opinions issued by EU supervisors. In December, Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis called on the guards to tighten their wording.

+++ 12. February, 11.32 clock +++

Thailand prohibits banks crypto-trading
Thailand is acting against digital currencies. In future, banks and other financial institutions are prohibited from doing business with digital currencies such as Bitcoin. The institutes are forbidden to invest in cryptocurrencies or to trade with them, according to a circular from Monday . (AP)

+++ 2 pm +++

ECB Director calls for stricter regulation of virtual currencies
From the point of view of ECB director Yves Mersch, central banks should not shy away from technological innovations such as cryptocurrencies. The society continues to develop and central banks would have to be prepared to change in the face of demand for virtual currencies, said the Luxembourger on Thursday in London.

Considerations, central banks should spend themselves digital money, however, met Mersch skeptical. That was associated with dangers - for example, in times of crisis. Because then possibly digital central bank money for people more attractive than bank balances. "There could be an industry-wide rush to bank balances, which would increase the impact of the crisis."

Mersch also called for a stricter regulation: "Every business of banks with virtual currency must be rigorously monitored." Dangers stemming from such transactions would have to be contained. So far, the market for cryptocurrencies is still largely unregulated. On Tuesday, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) had warned against Bitcoin risks.

+++ 8th of February, 12.05 pm +++

Central Bank in Qatar prohibits trading in cryptocurrencies
The central bank in Qatar has banned banks from trading Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Financial institutions and stockbrokers in the country have been "kindly asked" not to trade in cyber-visas, exchange them for other currencies, or open accounts for Bitcoin & Co., insiders told Reuters. The central bank will impose penalties in case of circumvention of the ban, it was also said in a letter from the regulator.

+++ 1.30 pm +++

Bitcoin recovers $ 8,000 mark
For the second day in a row, the most important cryptocurrency bitcoin has increased significantly. At noon, a Bitcoin is worth about $ 8,150. Statements from US financial regulators may have contributed to the price recovery. The supervisors do want harder rules for digital currencies. But do not plan perfect bans.

+++ 10.40 am +++

Goldman Sachs predicts the demise of most digital currencies
Much of the current 1,500 crypto currencies will not last long, according to US investment bank Goldman Sachs. Rather, only a small number of competitive species are likely to survive, writes Steve Strongin, head of Investment Research at Goldman Sachs, in a recent study. The strong price fluctuations of Bitcoin and Co. speak according to Strongin for a price bubble, thus an unsustainable course level. Currently, virtually all digital currencies are under considerable pressure. Decisive in the first place are regulatory efforts in many industrialized and emerging countries. "The high correlation between the different cryptocurrencies worries me," writes Strongin in view of frequently synchronous price fluctuations. Because digital currency has no intrinsic value, such as precious metals, most of them are likely to fall to zero. (Reuters)

+++ 10.00 am +++

Cryptocurrencies on the uptrend
The upward trend on the stock markets also arrives in the crypto empire. On Wednesday morning, all important virtual coins are clearly in positive territory. This is shown by figures from the analysis house Coinmarketcap, which compares the prices of numerous crypto exchanges. Top dog Bitcoin is therefore at $ 7,631, an increase of over 23 percent. Ethereum is up 30 percent to $ 767, and ripple is up 21 percent to $ 0.74.

+++ 7th of February, 9:30 am +++

US Senate deals with crypto regulation
The bosses of two major financial supervisors stepped in to sweep claims on the Senate on Tuesday: they want the power to regulate America's crypto exchanges, SEC chiefs and derivatives supervisor CFTC, Jay Clayton and Christopher Giancarlo demanded. Even Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), with which companies can procure fresh capital by issuing digital tokens, should no longer take place behind the back of the SEC, writes Handelsblatt correspondent Astrid Dörner .

+++ 10.00 am +++

Central Banks umbrella organization warns of Bitcoin & Co
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has called on authorities around the world to focus more on cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. What was originally conceived as an alternative payment system without state participation has now become a mixture of financial bubble, pyramid scheme and environmental catastrophe, "warns its director-general Agustin Carstens.

+++ 9.05 clock +++

South Korea suspects North behind hacker attack on crypto exchange
Behind the hacker attack on the Japanese crypto-exchange Coincheck in January, according to the assessment of the South Korean intelligence North Korea stuck. They then captured $ 534 million of cyber-currency Nem coins. He believes that the crypto market may remain a potential target for North Korean hackers due to its size and lax regulation.

+++ 7.55 am +++

Share price slide does not trigger escape in cryptocurrencies
For the sixth consecutive day, the prices of most cryptocurrencies fall. Of more than $ 800 billion in market capitalization in December 2017, about $ 280 billion is left on Monday morning. Bitcoin, the most important representative of the genus, trades at around $ 6,200 this morning and has scratched the 6,000 mark at some venues during the night.

Even if the crypto currencies are seen as an alternative to the previous payment system, it turns out that they can not break away from the price slide on the stock markets. As a "safe haven" they have not been in the past few days.

+++ 6th of February, 4.00 am +++

Bitcoin has been down more than two-thirds since highs
Bitcoin has continued its fall. The cyber motto cost $ 6375, 7.25 percent less than on Monday and was as cheap as in a quarter of a year. Thus, the cyber currency has lost more than two-thirds of its value since its high in December at just over $ 20,000. (HB)

+++ 20.00 clock +++

Bitcoin under $ 7,000
Bitcoin continued to give in on Monday, slipping below $ 7,000. In the evening, the price of the oldest and most well-known digital currency on the major trading platform Bitstamp fell to 6890 US dollars. That was about 15 percent less than on Sunday. Other virtual currencies, of which there are now around 1,500, came under some pressure even more. (HB)

+++ 11.33 clock +++

British Lloyds Bank bans Bitcoin purchase by credit card
The British banking group Lloyds Banking Group will no longer allow its customers to buy credit cards from Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. This was announced on Monday by the group, which includes Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, among others.

This should protect customers from accumulating debts as a result of the sharp price fluctuations, said a spokeswoman for the German Press Agency. However, the digital currencies could still be purchased via debit card.
The Bitcoin price had recently fallen below $ 8,000. Thus, the cryptocurrency is far from its record high in mid-December of about $ 20,000. Other digital currencies have also lost much of their value. (Reuters)

+++ 10.28 clock +++

South Korea accuses the North of stealing cryptocurrency
South Korea accuses North Korea of ​​stealing cryptocurrency. In hacker attacks, in 2017, several million won worth of Internet currency has been stolen, said Kim Byung-Kee of the South Korean Parliament's intelligence committee on Monday. The order of magnitude corresponds to several hundred thousand euros. "North Korea has sent e-mails that have been used to hack cryptocurrency trading venues and customer data." The South Korean intelligence agencies believed that the attacks were still ongoing. Kim left open which stock exchanges should be affected. It was not until the end of January that Coincheck, one of the most important trading venues for cryptocurrencies in Tokyo, had been the victim of a hacker attack. (Reuters)

+++ 5th of February, 08.25 am +++

Bitcoin drops back below $ 8,000
The high price fluctuations in cryptocurrencies continue to dominate trading. Bitcoin battled over $ 9,000 this weekend. But at the beginning of the week, the digital currency is again under great pressure. At the Bitstamp trading center, the currency slid below $ 8,000 on Monday morning.

Compared to Sunday, other significant cryptocurrencies are in the double-digit percentage range. Ethererum is quoted at around $ 825, ripple at $ 0.80.

+++ 4th of February, 7 pm +++

Shutterstock founder Jon Oringer - Conservative in crypto questions
Oringer has made a lot of money with the digital photo exchange Shutterstock. However, he does not think much of the concept of using cryptocurrencies to raise his own share price, writes Handelsblatt correspondent Katharina Kort .

+++ 5:15 pm +++

How authorities could destroy Bitcoin
Even skeptics fascinate the technology behind the cryptocurrencies. The main advantage of the blockchain is its falsifiability, you often read. But that's exactly what's wrong. Why investors need to know the "51 percent attack".

+++ 4.49 pm +++

Bitcoin on zig-zag course
After the drastic drop in prices until Friday noon, the value of the most well-known cryptocurrency has recovered. A bitcoin was worth a little over $ 8,800 this afternoon. At noon, the digital currency had fallen below $ 8,000. The crash in other cryptocurrencies recovered. The daily decline for Ripple shrank from over 30 percent to about ten percent. (HB)

+++ 16:25 pm +++

UBS checks crypto currency rules for its own employees
The Swiss bank UBS is considering making its own employees rules for the private handling of cryptocurrencies. So far, there are no requirements for the private investment and an indication to the employer or prior approval is not necessary, the bank said in a memo to the workforce, the news agency Bloomberg has viewed. But the institute is considering "additional specifications and prerequisites". This could include employees having to seek approval in the future to be able to trade cryptocurrencies. (Bloomberg)

+++ 13.09 clock +++

Bitcoin now worth less than $ 8,000
The price decline continues. For the first time since November 2017, Bitcoin at key venues like Bitstamp is worth less than $ 8,000.

+++ 11.05 clock +++

Bitcoin on its way to $ 8,000
On the Bitstamp trading platform, the Bitcoin price on Friday morning slid to $ 8,094. Over the past 24 hours, the digital currency had been worth up to $ 9,572 there.

Last fall, the Bitcoin had set to a high-altitude flight. In mid-December, the price had risen to a record high at about $ 20,000. In the current week, the Bitcoin has lost about 30 percent in value. Also in other digital currencies such as Ripple it came shortly before the weekend to a massive price slump. (HB / dpa)

+++ 10.22 clock +++

Bitcoin rate drops again
The price gains of Thursday evening has now lost the Bitcoin again and even undercut the low on Thursday again. At the moment, according to Coinmarketcap, he stands at $ 8,290.

+++ 8.46 am +++

Ripple price drops by 30 percent
Also on Friday morning the most important crypto currencies are deep in the red area. According to the platform Coinmarketcap 15 virtual currencies with the highest market capitalization note between 15 and 30 per cent in the minus. Particularly high were the losses at Ripple: The price fell by 30 percent to 0.78 dollars.

+++ 8:01 am +++

Bitcoin unwanted in business
Only seven percent of entrepreneurs can imagine accepting cryptocurrency customer payments within the next two years. 80 percent wave off. This has resulted in a survey of the business associations The Family Entrepreneurs and The Young Entrepreneurs exclusively for WirtschaftsWoche .

The almost 600 interviewed company bosses are also skeptical whether Bitcoin and co. Can prevail in the long term on the market. Only 19 percent believe this. Almost twice as many consider cyber money to be a monetary episode. Another 46 percent of respondents are unsure.

"Many cryptocurrencies and their possible use cases are very interesting. But the application needs to become much more user-friendly before cryptocurrencies can prevail across the board, "says Reinhold von Eben-Worlée, president of the Family Entrepreneurs Association. Above all, the strong price fluctuations made its use in everyday operations difficult. However, the head of the association does not like writing off Bitcoin in operation. The development was "far from completed". (Business Week)

+++ 2nd of February, 00.15 o'clock +++

Bitcoin drops to its lowest level since November
Bitcoin has continued to decline throughout the day. In the meantime, it even dropped to its lowest level since November 2017: to $ 8,449. Later, he made some of the losses but again and climbed, according to Coinmarketcap to 9,144.82 dollars. According to the Bloomberg news agency, the cryptocurrency reached a record high of $ 19,511 in mid-December and has since lost more than half of its value.
+++ 2.20 pm +++

Bitcoin at its lowest level since the beginning of the year
The Kurstalfahrt at the world's most important cryptocurrency continues: On Thursday, the Bitcoin sagged, according to analysis house Coinmarketcap, which evaluates numerous stock market data, to about 9,416 dollars. The price falls below the previous year's low of $ 9,529 on 17 January. Already on the night of Wednesday he had broken into $ 9,777, but then again climbed above the psychologically important $ 10,000 threshold. The other major crypto currencies, including Ripple and Bitcoin Cash, are clearly in the red on Thursday. The only exception: As in previous days, Ethereum is decoupling itself from the downtrend and is trading close to two percent plus.
+++ 14.13 clock +++

Enel does not want to make money with Bitcoin miners
The largest European energy company Enel has let down the bitcoin-miner greedy for cheap electricity. Enel has no interest in supplying electricity for the production of cryptocurrencies , the Italian company said on Thursday .