Top Stories This Week PayPal Invests in Digital Identity-Focused Blockchain Startup in Apparent First Global online payments firm PayPal has invested in startup Cambridge Blockchain, a firm that focuses on leveraging the tech in order to give users more control over their digital identities. The investment, whose amount is undisclosed, is part of an extension to a Series A funding round that had raised an initial $7 million in May 2018. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has stated that Cambridge Blockchain raised a total of $3.5 million in new equity since May 2018. Cambridge Blockchain has notably …

Ethereum-based (ETH) prediction market Augur is currently facing a design flaw attack, according to research by cryptocurrency exchange Binance released on April 1. The aforementioned attack involves a controversial market described as betting on the price of ETH at the end of March, which expired on April 1, 2019, 1:59 AM (UTC +8), a few hours off from the actual end of March 31. Since the contract expires before that tie, it may be deemed invalid in what Binance researchers call a design flaw attack. The market has also been reportedly wash traded by a few wallets, presumably to inflate …

The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of Cointelegraph.com Like many other ICO success stories and subsequent leaders in their respective market segments, Augur, the preeminent platform for decentralized predictions, faces constant public scrutiny. The latest episode that drew public attention is the allegation, voiced by cryptocurrency hedge fund Tetras Capital partner Alex Sunnarborg, that a developer group behind the platform significantly overstates the volume of trades that Augur processes. While the real trade volume is an essential metric indispensable for understanding the scale and impact of a given project, it is …

Blockchain-based prediction market Augur is reportedly significantly overestimating its usage, a founding partner of cryptocurrency hedge fund Tetras Capital claimed on social media on Jan. 10. The latest criticism of the project, Alex Sunnarborg took Augur to task following publication of its most recent weekly report showing the amount of money circulating within its markets. Specifically, the report claims around $2 million is currently involved in wagers set up by users. Sunnarborg, however, notes the figure includes wagers which have already closed. “Augur metrics showing ~$2 (million) ‘total money at stake’ include markets that have already ended,” he tweeted, adding: …

Perceptions of Bitcoin (BTC) versus altcoins changed forever in 2018, as the largest cryptocurrency separated itself from the rest, Bitcoin developer Jimmy Song wrote in a blog post on Dec. 31. An ardent defender of Bitcoin’s decentralized values, Song, who is also a frequent social media commentator, argued that last year “showed [...] what Bitcoin Maximalists have been saying all along.” “Bitcoin is different because Bitcoin is decentralized,” he summarized, adding: “The advantages of decentralization are often subtle and easy to dismiss, but they are real benefits.” One of many sources to have criticized the initial coin offerings (ICO) market …

Disclaimer: Cointelegraph considers speculation on the deaths of individuals as immoral and does not endorse it in any way So-called “assassination markets” have now popped up on blockchain event betting platform Augur, Mashable media outlet reported July 24. Users are now betting on when certain public figures will die. Created by the non-profit Forecast Foundation, Augur launched its Ethereum (ETH) mainnet-powered predictions platform on July 9, according to Fortune. On the platform, users can make a prediction about the outcome of any event. If a user believes the outcome will happen, they buy shares with ETH. If a user believes …

Recently hacked Japanese crypto exchange Coincheck will end trading for four privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies, Monero (XMR), Zcash (ZEC), Dash (DASH), and Augur (REP), Cointelegraph Japan reported May 18. Following reports from back in March, the exchange has now officially confirmed the removal of the four anonymity-focused coins will come into effect June 18. According to Coincheck’s blog, the exchange will remove the four cryptocurrencies to comply with counter-terrorist financing (CFT) and anti-money laundering (AML) measures recently issued by Japan’s financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency (FSA). The FSA has been especially active in regulating domestic crypto exchanges, specifically around customer protection, …

Augur, the decentralized prediction market, launched its alpha version on Tuesday. Augur alpha Augur users can wager on the future — whether on the outcome of a soccer match or on an election. If they guess correctly, they win money, if they don’t they lose. By aggregating these bets in advance of an outcome, the idea is that users can make accurate predictions about the future, by tapping diverse opinions. Lead Developer Joey Krug said: “This is the culmination of eight months of work since we started writing Augur, and we're glad to finally release something people can play around …

Benjamin Lawsky is leaving New York’s Department of Financial Service, five banks to pay US$5.6 billion fine for rigging markets, and more top stories for May 21. Benjamin Lawsky exits NYDFS, plans to launch consultancy firm New York Department of Financial Services Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky is in the middle of a career switch. He is leaving his role at the NY Department of Financial Services to set up his own consulting firm, which will advise financial institutions on technology, cyber security and virtual currency, as well as help them overcome some of the legal obstacles he helped put in place. …