The IOTA project unveiled on Feb. 3 a series of upgrades dubbed Chrysalis, an intermediate stage between now and the removal of the Coordinator. The upgrade introduces several important features, some of which change long-standing IOTA principles. Chrysalis, or IOTA 1.5, takes its name from the second stage in a caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly. It is specifically designed as an intermediate step before the “Coordicide,” a long-planned initiative to remove the Coordinator from the IOTA network. The Coordinator is, in essence, a centralized server managed by IOTA developers that creates checkpoints in its transaction history. This is a necessity …

Internet of Things (IoT) software developer It’s Here announced the launch of a blockchain-enabled lock that purportedly prevents porch pirating. According to a press release shared with Cointelegraph on Jan. 7, the solution — dubbed IoTLock — is comprised of a software system and mobile decentralized application (DApp) that can turn any keypad-enabled device into blockchain-secured smart devices. The document cites mailboxes, delivery boxes, and safes as examples of devices that can be upgraded with the solution. In the case of mailboxes, by allowing access only to authorized people such as package delivery couriers, the system would reportedly prevent porch …

Looking ahead to what we can expect by the new decade’s end, VC firm Andreessen Horowitz predicts that Bitcoin (BTC) is likely to be central to the monetization mechanisms that future online influencers will use. In its Dec. 30 vignette of a highly automated future — where food is tailored to an individual’s microbiome and lifestyle in a “roboticized kitchen,” and VR and avatars are part and parcel of everyday business workflows — Andreessen Horowitz writes that by 2030: “The influencer can reach hundreds of her fans instantaneously. In turn, the fans can get paid instantly for giving this feedback. …

As the end of the year draws closer, discussing what the future holds for the crypto industry becomes increasingly relevant. In particular, how global financial and technological trends will affect the adoption of cryptocurrencies in the coming year. Despite the critics, the number of industry experts and crypto enthusiasts who foresee a promising future for cryptocurrencies has been on the rise. Institutional investors are now paying more attention to crypto-related projects and products, and universities have even started to offer courses on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Now, talks of how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things …

On Dec. 12, the second-largest health insurance company in the United States announced plans to leverage blockchain technology to secure the medical data of all its 40 million members over the next three years. The most unique quality of a blockchain is that once a piece of information is added to the distributed ledger, it cannot be altered. The information stored on a blockchain is absolutely secure and trustworthy in its entirety. In order for a change to be made in one block, changes must be made to all the subsequent blocks associated to the affected block. Being synonymous with …

Big Four audit firm KPMG has officially launched a blockchain-based track and trace platform in Australia, China and Japan. Dubbed KPMG Origins, the tool is designed to increase transparency and traceability of processes in multiple industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and financial services, the firm announced on Nov. 28. The official launch of KPMG Origins in Australia, China and Japan comes after successful pilot implementations with clients in those countries, the press release notes. Trial participants include Cane Growers and SunRice Incorporating a number of emerging technologies like blockchain and the Internet of Things, KPMG Origin intends to improve supply …

Blockchain technology has proven to be a great invention since it was introduced about a decade ago. Since then, it has powered several inventions that will have a lasting impact on humanity. Some notable examples are the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart contracts. However, some blockchain projects will touch some other areas of human endeavor that are yet to feel the impact of this amazing technology. Here, Cointelegraph takes a look at 10 very interesting blockchain projects the world should look forward to. Andrew Adcock, the CEO of Crowd for Angels, shared this view with Cointelegraph when asked if …

Internet crowdsourcing company Share Internet Data Ltd (SID) has partnered with private equity firm LDJ Capital to launch a blockchain-based digital banking solution. The new digital banking app is called LDJ Digital, according to a press release on July 16. According to the announcement, LDG Digital can function as a debit card and it supports both fiat money and cryptocurrencies. Moreover, the professed goal of LDJ Digital is to provide banking services to the unbanked, as per the report. LDJ Digital will reportedly be a part of the existing SID platform and is based on its core technologies and principles. …

A recent market report by Grand View Research suggests that blockchain is one of the digital technologies driving market growth in the global transportation management systems (TMS) sector, according to a press release on July 11. According to Grand View Research, a market research company based in San Francisco, the TMS market is expected to reach $198.82 billion by 2025 with a compound annual growth rate of 16.2%. A number of digital technologies are credited as driving forces for current and projected TMS market growth alongside blockchain, including аrtificial intelligence, cloud transportation management systems, the so-dubbed Internet of Things, and …

German Blockchain-as-a-Service (Baas) provider Advanced Blockchain AG has become the first blockchain development firm to be listed on Germany’s Xetra digital stock exchange, operated by Deutsche Börse. The news was reported by financial news site DGap on July 1. The Xetra all-electronic trading system was founded in 1997 for use on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, but has since expanded to over 200 trading participants from across16 European countries, as well as Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. According to recent data, Xetra accounted for €131.4 billion ($149 billion) of Deutsche Börse’s total cash markets €146.0 billion ($165 billion) turnover …

Napster creator Shawn Fanning’s new company Helium has released its internet of things (IoT) wireless hotspot devices with a blockchain-based incentives program, according to an official blog post by Helium on June 12. According to the post, a Helium Hotspot provides wireless connectivity to the Internet; one node on its own will cover about 1/50 to 1/150 of a city, according to the company’s research. The nodes are intended to support a network of internet coverage, one which is decentralized and powered by individual contributors. Contributors are rewarded by an incentives program on the Helium blockchain, which is powered by …

Cryptocurrencies have gone a long way since the day when, nine years ago, Laszlo Hanyecz had paid 10,000 bitcoins for two large Papa John’s pizzas, marking the first purchase of tangible goods for digital money. Although bitcoin is still far from being universally accepted by retailers, thousands of merchants around the world are taking crypto in exchange for goods — and their ranks grow daily. The latest of the big developments in this vein came up at this year’s Consensus conference, as blockchain startup Flexa made public its partnership with a number of major U.S. retailers. Flexa’s payments app, Spedn, …