ZebPay Launches SIPs to Champion Disciplined Bitcoin Investing in India

ZebPay, one of India’s pioneering Bitcoin exchanges, has announced the launch of its Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) feature, allowing users to avail the benefit of automated, recurring crypto investments. The new feature is designed to promote a disciplined, long-term approach to crypto investing, especially Bitcoin, helping Indian investors manage market volatility with consistency and confidence.

Reinforcing its long-standing Bitcoin-first philosophy, ZebPay has designed its SIP offering with a clear emphasis on systematic Bitcoin investing, while also extending access to a curated set of 15 crypto investing pairs. Anchored in the brand’s “Bitcoin Mein Pro” ethos, the initiative underscores ZebPay’s belief that long-term value in crypto is built through discipline, consistency, and informed participation rather than short-term speculation.

Sharing his views on the launch, Rahul Pagidipati, CEO of ZebPay, said, “Bitcoin investing, like any long-term financial journey, rewards discipline and consistency. While market volatility is inevitable, systematic investing can help users navigate these cycles with greater confidence. Through the launch of SIPs, we aim to make it easier for Indian investors to adopt a long-term mindset, leverage rupee-cost averaging, and participate in the crypto ecosystem in a more structured and responsible manner.”

By enabling regular investments at fixed intervals, ZebPay SIPs help users reduce reactionary decision-making and build disciplined investing habits focused on long-term participation in the crypto ecosystem. The feature is suited for both first-time investors beginning their crypto journey and experienced users seeking a more structured investment approach. Furthermore, ZebPay SIPs enable users to automate their crypto investments on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis through the platform’s Quick Trade feature. Investments are executed automatically at prevailing market prices, allowing for hands-free investing while helping users average their purchase costs over time. Users also retain full flexibility, with the option to pause, resume, or cancel their SIPs at any time, without lock-ins or penalties.

Raj Karkara, COO of ZebPay, mentioned, “Over the years, we’ve seen growing interest from users seeking simpler, more automated ways to invest in crypto without the need to constantly track the markets. ZebPay SIPs are designed to offer users control and transparency while reducing the friction associated with manual investing. This launch marks another step in our ongoing efforts to build intuitive, compliant, and investor-first solutions for India’s evolving crypto community.”

Setting up a SIP on ZebPay is designed to be simple and transparent. Users can select a crypto asset of their choice, set a fixed investment amount in INR, and choose an investment frequency aligned with their financial goals. Each SIP execution is carried out through Quick Trade market orders, with the purchased crypto credited directly to the user’s account. Investors also have clear visibility into their investment amounts, applicable fees, and execution history at all times.

In line with ZebPay’s commitment to accessible and responsible investing, SIPs follow the same fee structure as Quick Trade. As a special benefit, users making their first-ever Bitcoin transaction, even if via SIP, will enjoy a zero-fee experience, making it easier for new investors to take their first step toward systematic Bitcoin investing. On that note, ZebPay SIPs are available to KYC-compliant users, with investments executed only when sufficient wallet balance is present. The feature has been live on Android and web platforms from January 8, 2026, and has also become available on iOS since January 12, 2026.

With this launch, ZebPay reinforces its position as a platform focused on long-term value creation. The SIP offering embodies the company’s broader philosophy of promoting disciplined investing, setting ZebPay apart from platforms primarily focused on active or high-frequency trading.

About ZebPay

ZebPay is one of India’s oldest Bitcoin exchanges, with over 6 million registered users. Founded in 2014, it strives to be the leading blockchain asset solution provider and the #1 financial advisor for Indians in the crypto space. The company’s mission is to help its members achieve financial freedom in the Web3 economy. ZebPay is an FIU-registered digital asset exchange, accessible via zebpay.com/in/ as well as the Android Play Store and Apple App Store. Customers can invest in Bitcoin, Ethereum, BAT, and 400+ other crypto pairs, trading both crypto-fiat and crypto-crypto. ZebPay OTC, a bespoke trading desk for high-volume clients, serves both individual and institutional investors.

For more details, please visit: https://zebpay.com.

For details related to ZebPay’s security measures, please visit the security page.

Coinbase Relaunches in India: Crypto-to-Crypto Trading Resumes, INR Support Delayed Until 2026

Coinbase, the world’s largest publicly listed cryptocurrency exchange, has officially reopened its services in India after a two-year hiatus. The relaunch, announced quietly in December, allows Indian users to register and trade crypto-to-crypto pairs. However, fiat deposits in Indian rupees (INR) will not be available until 2026, marking a cautious re-entry into one of the world’s fastest-growing digital asset markets.

A cautious return

Coinbase first entered India in April 2022 but quickly suspended Unified Payments Interface (UPI) support after the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) distanced itself from crypto transactions. By 2023, the exchange had fully off-boarded Indian users.

This time, Coinbase is taking a compliance-first approach. The company has registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), signaling its intent to align with local anti-money laundering and reporting requirements. At India Blockchain Week, Coinbase APAC Director John O’Loghlen confirmed that fiat on-ramps will be introduced in 2026.

Current limitations

• Crypto-to-crypto trading only: Indian users can trade pairs like BTC/ETH but cannot deposit or withdraw INR.
• Fiat integration delayed: INR deposits and withdrawals are expected in 2026.
• Regulatory uncertainty: India’s 30% tax on crypto gains and 1% TDS per transaction remain significant hurdles.

Competitive landscape

Coinbase’s delayed fiat rollout places it behind local rivals:

Feature	Coinbase (India, 2025 relaunch)	WazirX	CoinDCX
Fiat Support (INR)	Not available until 2026	Full INR deposits/withdrawals	Full INR deposits/withdrawals
Trading Options	Crypto-to-crypto pairs only	Spot, P2P, futures	Spot, margin, futures
Fees	Globally competitive, INR fees TBD	~0.2% trading fee	~0.1% trading fee
Liquidity	Global liquidity, limited INR access	Strong local liquidity	Moderate liquidity
Regulatory Status	FIU registered	Indian compliance	Indian compliance

Strategic outlook

Coinbase’s India relaunch is less about immediate retail dominance and more about long-term positioning. By securing FIU registration and promising INR integration in 2026, the company is betting on regulatory clarity and institutional adoption.

Yet, the trust gap remains. Coinbase’s abrupt 2023 exit left many Indian users wary, and its delayed fiat support risks ceding ground to entrenched rivals. Success will depend on whether Coinbase can rebuild credibility and leverage its global brand to attract Indian traders once INR deposits go live.

The bottom line

• Near-term practicality: Indian users seeking INR access will find WazirX and CoinDCX more practical.
• Coinbase’s proposition: Global liquidity and compliance assurances, but patience required until 2026.
• Market watch: The coming year will determine whether Coinbase can reclaim relevance or remain secondary until regulatory clarity arrives.

Global Crypto Market Lost $100 Billion in 24 Hrs: What’s next?

The global crypto market has just suffered a staggering $100 billion wipeout, sending shockwaves through investors and institutions alike.

Bitcoin slipped below the critical $90,000 mark, Ethereum dropped over 3%, and altcoins followed suit — raising urgent questions about whether this is a temporary shakeout or the start of a deeper downturn.

The crash in numbers

• Market cap decline: Total crypto market capitalization fell from $3.15 trillion to $3.05 trillion, erasing roughly $100 billion in value.
• Bitcoin breakdown: Bitcoin failed to hold the $94K–$95K range, plunging to $89,614.
• Ethereum and altcoins: Ethereum dropped 3.14% to $3,031, BNB fell to $884.76, XRP slid to $2.03, and Solana dropped nearly 3% to $132.81.
• Liquidations: In late November, over $2 billion in leveraged positions were liquidated within 24 hours, underscoring the fragility of sentiment.

Why it happened

• Leverage unwinding: Heavy margin trading triggered cascading liquidations once Bitcoin broke support.
• ETF outflows: Bitcoin ETFs saw $3.79 billion in redemptions last month, with BlackRock alone losing $2.47 billion.
• Extreme fear: The Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged to 11, its lowest since the FTX collapse in 2022.
• Macro pressures: Global liquidity tightening and regulatory uncertainty continue to weigh on risk assets.

Recovery scenarios

Short-term bounce (relief rally)

• Oversold conditions: Extreme fear often tempts contrarian buyers.
• Support levels: If Bitcoin holds above $90K, a rebound toward $94K–$95K is possible.
• Catalysts: Short covering, easing macro fears, or slowing ETF outflows could spark a rally.

Prolonged downturn (bearish continuation)

• Institutional retreat: Persistent ETF outflows suggest big players are pulling back.
• Macro headwinds: Tight liquidity and looming regulation may keep risk appetite low.
• Risk scenario: A break below $88K could trigger another liquidation wave, dragging market cap toward $2.9 trillion.

The takeaway

This $100 billion wipeout highlights how fragile crypto’s bullish momentum really was.

With leveraged positions unwinding, ETF outflows accelerating, and fear at panic levels, the market stands at a crossroads.
If Bitcoin stabilizes above $90K, a relief rally could follow. But if it breaks lower, brace for a deeper correction.

The coming days will reveal whether this is a temporary shakeout or the start of a longer bearish phase — and all eyes are on institutional flows and regulatory signals to decide the market’s fate.

How to Convert Crypto Winnings into Cash Safely and Efficiently

You probably know how exciting it is to see those digital numbers go up when you win a lot of crypto, whether it was in online games, trade, casinos, or NFT flips. But after the excitement wears off, the real question comes up: How can I turn this into real cash without losing money, getting reported, or having to wait a long time?

To be honest, taking out crypto isn't hard, but you do need a plan. Cryptocurrency changes rules all the time, and if you make a mistake, it could cost you a lot more than just a transaction fee. So, whether you're taking out a small amount of money or a lot of money, knowing your options will help you keep your crypto safe and get the most value out of it.

Let's talk about the ways, the risks, and the smart ways to turn your online winnings into real money, so you don't have to worry about any fees, surprises, or extra work.

Know Your Cash-Out Options

You should know the different ways to turn your crypto into cash before you click "Withdraw" or "Sell." A centralized market is usually the first place people start. You can send cryptocurrency from your personal wallet to an exchange account, sell it, and get cash back straight in your bank account on sites like Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, and more. It's legal, simple, and most users already know how to use them. If you're new to crypto, this is usually the best and easiest way to go.

Centralized systems aren't the only option, though. If speed and flexibility are important to you, peer-to-peer solutions will provide you with more power. When you sell your cryptocurrency to someone, they can pay you in a variety of ways, including fiat currency, a bank transfer, or even your mobile wallet. Even if it's fast, you have to be very careful since you're dealing with individuals and not institutions.

Then there are crypto ATMs, which you can find in more and more shopping malls, gas stations, and banking hubs around the world. You can send cryptocurrency and get cash right away with these tools. They're very handy, but the fees are usually higher, so they're best for small amounts or quick access.

Some people pick over-the-counter services to win larger amounts of money. Over-the-counter (OTC) desks handle big deals quickly and quietly. They offer better rates and keep prices from changing too much, as open exchanges do. This choice can save you money and trouble if you're turning in a big win.

Prioritizing Safety and Staying Compliant

Only using a reputable site to withdraw your cryptocurrency is insufficient. It is critical to be aware of the local legislation since regulations are subject to change. Gains from trading, gambling, or gaming using cryptocurrency are subject to taxation in several nations. A tax is typically due when you convert your Bitcoin into fiat money, so be careful with your records. Even if it's pointless now, doing it now will save you hassle in the long run.

The issue of safety is also crucial. There will always be crypto deals. You can't get your money back if you sent it to the wrong address or a phony buyer. Before making a withdrawal, double-check the platform's instructions, wallet address, and withdrawal network. With a single glance, you can save yourself an entire paycheck.

Also, it's smart to use well-known, trustworthy sites as much as possible. Some regulated markets make you prove who you are, but that's one way they keep your money safe. There is less chance of fraud, better customer service, and a more complete paper record in case something goes wrong.

You should be even more careful if you're using peer-to-peer trades. Trustworthy users with a lot of trades made in the past are the only ones you should trade with. And make sure you only talk to people on the site, so 
their escrow system can protect you. It might seem easy to get off the platform, but that takes away your safety net.

If you stay alert, the crypto world will reward you. You can easily turn your wins into cash as long as you are careful.

Maximizing Efficiency and Saving on Fees

No one likes losing some of their gains to fees that aren't necessary. Thank goodness a little planning goes a long way. There are different fees for crypto networks based on how busy they are. During peak hours, Bitcoin and Ethereum can be pricey. Chains like Litecoin, Tron, and Solana, on the other hand, often offer much cheaper and faster payments. If your wins are on a network with high fees, you might want to switch them to a token with lower fees before you cash them out.

There are also different fee systems for each exchange. Some charge trading fees based on a percentage, while others give discounts to people who trade a lot or keep their own tokens. Check out a few different sites before you cash out. Not all of them offer the same rates or processing times.

Time to withdraw is another factor. Most exchanges take one to three business days to send money to your bank account, but for an extra fee, some sites let you withdraw money right away. When two people use the same payment source, peer-to-peer trades usually go through faster. And, of course, crypto ATMs give you cash right away, but the higher exchange rates make up for it.

The time you buy or sell can also make a big difference. Cryptocurrency prices change all the time, so getting out when the price goes up can give you more money. You shouldn't worry too much about changes that happen every minute, but keeping an eye on the market for overall trends can help you cash out your wins at a better time.

Being quick doesn't mean you're being efficient. Being efficient means you know how fees, networks, and timing work so that you can keep as much of your wins as possible.

Picking the Best Platform for Withdrawals

Different platforms have different features, and picking the right one can mean the difference between a smooth cash-out and a stressful one. The easiest way for most people to do things is still through organized exchanges. They take care of everything, from sending crypto to banks to converting crypto to fiat to sending money to banks, and they offer predictable working times. This is the place to start if you want steadiness and order.

Crypto ATMs are great for getting cash quickly, especially if you only need a small amount. They're quick, private in some places, and easy for many people to use. But because they charge more, they're not great for bigger wins.

There are a lot of deals that happen with over-the-counter (OTC) services. Some desks help you avoid loss and get better exchange rates when you're changing a lot of money. This doesn't affect the market. They also offer human help, which can be comforting during big moves.

Most of the time, a mix of approaches works best. A lot of crypto users keep more than one site open so they can choose based on the amount, the time frame, and the fees.

Feel Secure Withdrawing Your Winnings

Getting your hands on some cryptocurrency doesn't have to be a scary ordeal. You may confidently and easily convert your digital assets into usable cash with the correct approach. Picking reliable platforms, paying 
attention to fees, ensuring the security of your transactions, and keeping yourself informed of local rules.

Opportunities abound in the cryptocurrency realm, but staying informed is key to reaping those advantages. You may retain more of your profits and reap the benefits of your achievement in real life and online if you know how to pay out and handle each stage carefully.

Bitcoin Goes Mainstream: Morgan Stanley Tells Advisors to Buy In

Morgan Stanley has made a landmark move in the crypto space that could significantly reshape mainstream investment strategies.

In its latest guidance, the firm’s Global Investment Committee (GIC) recommended that financial advisors and clients maintain a 2%–4% Bitcoin allocation. According to the analysts, BTC is like digital gold, calling it “scarce.”

Here's the essence of their "huge" Bitcoin call:

Allocation Guidance

• Global Investment Committee (GIC) recommends a 2%–4% allocation to Bitcoin across client portfolios:
  • 2% for balanced growth
  • 3–4% for opportunistic or market-driven returns
• This guidance reaches 16,000 financial advisors managing $2 trillion in client assets.

Why It Matters

• Morgan Stanley views Bitcoin as “digital gold”—a scarce, long-term asset with diversification benefits.
• Institutional ownership of Bitcoin ETFs has climbed to 25% in H2 2025, up from 21.9% in Q1.
• Morgan Stanley holds $187 million in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), ranking among the top five holders.

Potential Impact

• Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley called the update “huge,” noting it could open the floodgates to $2 trillion in potential crypto exposure.
• Partnership with ZeroHash aims to bring crypto access to retail clients via E-Trade by 2026.
• ETF inflows have helped push Bitcoin to a new ATH of $125K, with further advisor-driven demand expected to amplify the rally.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley called it “huge” and posted on X, saying - “GIC guides 16,000 advisors managing $2 trillion in savings and wealth for clients. We’re entering the mainstream era.”

Mr. Raj Karkara, COO, ZebPay, said “Bitcoin’s record-breaking surge past $125,000 marks a defining moment for the digital asset ecosystem, driven by sustained institutional inflows into spot ETFs, declining exchange reserves, and a pronounced macro shift toward the ‘debasement hedge’ narrative. This rally isn’t fueled by short-term momentum alone; it reflects a structural tightening of supply amid robust on-chain activity and renewed investor conviction. As liquidity migrates towards regulated venues and Bitcoin cements its place among the world’s most valuable assets, we’re witnessing a pivotal evolution in market maturity and capital efficiency within the crypto economy. These developments highlight not only Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value but also the growing sophistication of participants navigating this dynamic landscape.”

SEBI Open To Overseeing Crypto Trade

India's market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) has shown openness to the idea of overseeing cryptocurrency trade, which is a contrast to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) stance, reported Reuters citing a document seen by the news agency.

SEBI has suggested that multiple regulators should oversee activities linked to cryptocurrencies that fall under their respective domains, and that a single unified regulator for digital assets should be avoided. This recommendation has been made to a government panel tasked with formulating policy for the finance ministry to consider.

The concerns around cryptocurrency regulation are multifaceted and stem from the unique characteristics of digital currencies. Cryptocurrencies are known for their high price volatility, which can lead to significant financial risk for investors and traders.

SEBI's approach includes monitoring cryptocurrencies that take the form of securities as well as new offerings called Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). They have also mentioned the possibility of issuing licenses for equity market-related products. On the other hand, the RBI maintains a cautious stance, viewing private digital currencies as a macroeconomic risk and favoring a ban on stablecoins.

This development indicates a significant shift in India's regulatory approach towards cryptocurrencies and could lead to a more structured and formalized framework for crypto trading in the country. The panel plans to firm up its report as early as June 2024.

In 2021, the government prepared a bill that would have banned private cryptocurrencies though it has not been introduced. Last year, when it was president of the G20, India called for a global framework to regulate such assets.

Globally, there are several successful models for cryptocurrency regulation that have been developed by the respective countries. The EU introduced the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MICA) in May 2023, which is considered the world's first comprehensive cryptocurrency regulation. MICA aims to provide legal clarity and ensure consumer protection, market integrity, and financial stability.

The US has seen developments such as the Financial Innovation and Technology (FIT) for the 21st Century Act and the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act. These bills aim to define when a cryptocurrency is a security or a commodity and expand oversight of the industry.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions has laid out 18 recommendations for global rules on managing crypto and digital assets. The World Economic Forum's Digital Assets Regulatory (DAR) initiative analyzes outcomes of different national approaches to digital asset regulation.

Vauld, a Leading Crypto Trading & Lending Platform's Founders Feature in Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 List

Darshan Bathija (28), Sanju Kurian (29), Co-founders of Singapore-based crypto trading and lending exchange platform, featured in Forbes Asia – 30 under 30

SINGAPORE, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On 28 May 2022, Vauld founders - Darshan Bathija and Sanju Kurian - were featured in Forbes Asia 30 under 30 list.

Founded in 2018 by Darshan Bathija and Sanju Kurian, Vauld, a Singapore-based global Crypto platform, provides a suite of products that focus on long-term wealth generation for its crypto investors, including fixed deposits and asset-backed lending and borrowing. Vauld is easy to use, intuitive, and also provides automatic investment plans that focus on wealth creation for its customer base.

Sanju Kurian, CTO & Co-founder of Vauld (left) & Darshan Bathija, CEO & Co-founder of Vauld 

In July 2021, Vauld raised $25 million in a Series A funding round led by PayPal founder Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures. The company has customers from 190 countries and average deposits per customer of $20,000. Vauld recently announced a multi-year partnership with F1 Team Alfa Romeo.

On being featured in Forbes, Darshan Bathija said: "We have great people working together as a team of high performers. We're looking forward to taking our learnings and providing new features and tools to help our investors realize their financial objectives."

Sanju Kurian said: "I have always been fascinated by finance and the field of cryptocurrencies excited me. With Vauld, we now aim to make it a neo-bank like any of the nationalized banks in India with the help of our very well-learned and knowledgeable team.

About Darshan Bathija, Co-founder & CEO

Darshan comes from a family background of 4 generations of financiers. He has worked as the Head of Partnerships at TapChief. Before TapChief, he worked at Piramal Capital, a real estate NBFC and facilitated loans totalling $100 million against assets.

About Sanju Kurian, Co-founder & CTO

Sanju built the technical team at Kings Leaning from the ground up, which served more than 20 million users across various platforms. He has led multiple teams across multiple domains, including Python/Django, native mobile development (Android IOS, KaiOS), AngularJS, DevOps, design, and analytics.

Website – https://www.vauld.com/

SOURCE Vauld

Mudrex Becomes World's Largest Crypto Index Investing Platform with 2.5 Lakh Investors

Edul Patel, Co-Founder & CEO, Mudrex

The highest spike was seen from Indian investors/users due to growing awareness around Mutual Funds and relative products in the crypto space 

Global crypto asset management platform, Mudrex, today announced a 2400% increase in the platform’s user base for the first quarter of 2022, making it the world’s fastest-growing, and largest crypto index investing platform. Indian users contributed the most to this exponential growth with more than 80% of the growth from India. Mudrex is a global brand that is known for its systematic approach to familiarizing crypto investments, making it an unignorable option to invest among other asset classes. Right from products like Mudrex Coin Sets to initiating crypto as a service, Mudrex is committed to consistently contributing to the growth of the ecosystem and the platform itself.

Founded in 2018, Mudrex is a global cryptocurrency platform that curates profitable solutions and automates investing products for the average investor for long-term returns. The platform’s flagship product, Mudrex Coin Sets, are baskets of cryptocurrencies based on particular themes, enabling users to diversify their portfolios.

“We at Mudrex are thrilled to witness such stellar growth numbers in such a short period of time. From the very beginning, we have been laser-focused on creating products to keep our users engaged and help them invest in crypto. With the help of our crypto experts, we spent most of last year developing and designing products that would not only bring attention to crypto but push users to consider crypto as a long-term asset class. India is an important market for us and it has been receptive to all the innovations that Mudrex has ushered in. Hence, the spike in our India user base is exciting news for us. Looking ahead, product development and education will remain at the core of Mudrex’s offerings and we expect to hit one million investors on our platform by early Q4.”, said Mudrex CEO and Co-founder, Edul Patel.

In March 2022, Mudrex introduced the crypto industry’s first SIP tool to automate and simplify investments in Mudrex Coin Sets bringing recurring investment capabilities, which have long been popular in the traditional markets to crypto investors. Mudrex plans to bring more innovative offerings to the crypto world in the near future.

About Mudrex: 

Launched in 2018, Mudrex is a global platform that makes self-directed investing in crypto easy and accessible for all. Founded by Edul Patel (CEO), Alankar Saxena (CTO), Rohit Goyal (VP, DeFi), Prince Arora (VP, Engineering), the Y-Combinator backed enterprise has established a robust investing platform for all kinds of investors. The US-headquartered and Bengaluru-based fintech startup aims to be the largest asset management platform for crypto. For more information, visit Mudrex.com or download the app

Crypto Trading Platform Oddz Finance Live on the Avalanche Mainnet

The options trading protocol inches one step closer to a multi-chain future with the launch on the Avalanche mainnet network

Oddz Finance, a crypto derivatives trading platform today announced its mainnet launch on Avalanche, an open, programmable smart contracts platform for decentralized applications. This significant milestone and collaboration for both companies will aim to increase the adoption of derivatives trading on the network, massively aiding the users of the Avalanche network.

The Oddz Mainnet launch on Avalanche will see the release of the Oddz Options v2 version, which will include features such as option strategies, a secondary market, an auto exercise feature, the addition of more altcoins, deviation-based pools, and dynamic APY boosting features. All these features will be aimed at facilitating the growth of derivatives trading in the crypto space.

Derivatives in India have been an active market with National Stock Exchange being the largest derivatives exchange for the third consecutive year in 2021 by the number of contracts traded. In recent years, with decentralised finance garnering global interest, the derivatives market for cryptocurrencies have been thriving as well. A study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers estimates the traded volume in cryptocurrency derivatives to surpass $100 billion. With over 105 million Indians invested in the digital token space, providing seamless solutions that provide various traditional financial services are necessary to ensure the continued growth of the Indian crypto sector.

Oddz has been at the forefront of innovation in the derivatives space since its inception. It first launched on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) with the goal of powering the ecosystem with derivates trading. Since then, it has facilitated smooth trades with high latency along with lower transaction costs for complex on-chain option trading contracts. With significant success on the BSC chain, Oddz now plans to integrate with the Avalanche network.

Aishwarya Shivakumar CEO Oddz Finance

"Over the last few months, we've seen a lot of momentum on Avalanche," said Aishwarya Shivakumar, CEO of Oddz Finance. "When compared to other derivatives protocols currently operating within the network, Oddz is uniquely positioned to provide the best features that can benefit both the users and the ecosystem. It is also well-positioned to support many DEXs seeking more custom or sophisticated trading solutions beyond the more commonly available trading methods."

Despite such rapid growth, the network currently has little going on in terms of derivates, and the number of protocols offering derivates products is not enticing users to engage with the Avalanche ecosystem. Oddz, on the other hand, aims to solve this by bringing the best of the best features via derivates. With features such as deviation-based pools, advanced options strategies, secondary market, and auto exercise features, the platform intends to power the entire Avalanche ecosystem.

Additionally, Oddz recently completed its testnet on the Avalanche and received a positive response, with over 15000 people taking part in the program. Moreover, $5.8 billion in $AVAX options were traded on the Testnet in just three weeks, with $BTC and $ETH volumes hovering at $458 million and $206 million, respectively.

The TradFi market for derivatives is already worth more than $1 quadrillion, and Oddz offering these products in the DeFi space will further encourage mass adoption for the crypto ecosystem. Derivatives are establishing the framework for DeFi's future, and Oddz's proposition is to deliver the decentralized future across all chains.

About Oddz:

Oddz is a trustless on-chain derivatives trading platform that expedites the execution of call and put options contracts, conditional trades, and futures. It allows the creation, maintenance, execution, and settlement of trustless option contracts, conditional tokens agreements, and futures contracts in a fast, secure, and flexible manner.

It employs the synergies of Ethereum, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, Polkadot, and Polygon, to unleash the potential of a decentralized derivatives market. It focuses on building solutions that can propel the DeFi ecosystem by simplifying derivatives trading and enhancing the user experience.

Learn more, visit: https://www.oddz.fi/

About Avalanche:

Avalanche is an open-source blockchain designed for the development of decentralized applications and enterprise use. Developers claim the blockchain delivers scalability, speed, and the ability to communicate and work with other blockchains. It is a proof-of-stake blockchain where people are assigned blocks to mine according to how many tokens they hold. To learn more, visit: https://www.avax.network/

Panther Quant Ties with Black Dog Venture Partners for A.I. based Crypto Trading and NFT Platform

Panther Quant announced a strategic partnership with Black Dog Venture Partners (BDVP) to launch an Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) cryptocurrency trading and NFT platform. The CEO of Block Dog Venture Partners Scott Kelly, will join the company as a strategic advisor.

The cryptocurrency market runs on Blockchain technology with many benefits, and it has different usages in today’s fast-paced digital world. It has universal acceptance and has been recognized globally as a see-through system.

It is a highly volatile and unpredictable market that runs 24/7. This market is sentiment-driven, with too much information in too little time. Global crypto recognition and cognizance is increasing day by day. Besides, it has become a common practice nowadays, and many huge companies, including OTT platforms, Facebook, JP Morgan, even Amazon is all set to step into the Global Crypto world. Facebook and its partners plan to launch Diem, a new global cryptocurrency whereas JP Morgan has already launched JPM Coin, designed to make instantaneous payments using blockchain technology. Such wide global acceptance of cryptocurrency and blockchain indicates that this technology is most certainly here to stay.

The year 2020 was an incredible year for the Cryptocurrencies market. The collective market capitalization of cryptocurrencies grew around 300% to $758 billion in 2020 and had hit $3 trillion as the end of 2021 is approaching.

It is next to impossible for a human mind to process the overwhelming data and sentiments that flow around the crypto market adding to its volatility. Therefore, platform Panther Quant which can analyse the real time sentiments of the cryptocurrency market, is the need of the hour. Even before its launch, this platform has captured the attention of experts all around the world who take keen interest in disruptive blockchain projects.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Panther Quant to launch a leading-edge A.I. based cryptocurrency platform," said Scott Kelly, CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners. "Their innovative use of NFTs provides traders with the opportunity to share their research and increase returns for all. We are excited about the opportunities this holds."

Manav Bajaj, Panther Quant founder, added, "Partnering with BDVP and having Scott on board as our Strategic Advisor is certainly going to be very transformative not just for the project's growth but also for the team as it will push us to work more harder and more efficiently. We are very thrilled about this Partnership as Scott's vast expertise & knowledge is most certainly going to make Panther Quant a huge success."

"This partnership will add a great amount of credibility because of the vast experience Mr. Kelly possesses. This will in return increase the confidence of people investing in cryptocurrency through our platform. The platform also focuses on the need to analyze the data and beliefs of the market to provide the trader an in-depth insight into the crypto market", Mr. Bajaj further added.

About Panther Quant

Panther Quant is the first A.I based algorithmic trading platform [for spot trading, Define Protocols, and Dex Arbitrage trading]. Panther Quant hesitant the trader's vulnerability by giving rejective insight of the market through powerful A.I engines, which will scan all digital platforms (incl. SM & emojis) to analyze the sentiments of the crypto coins in Real-time and filter the top trending pairs for the trader to trade. The platform will also introduce the first NFT marketplace where users can convert their successful strategies into NFTs, trade with other users on the platform, and make profits! Learn more at https://pantherquant.io/

About Scott Kelly

Scott Kelly, Founder and CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners is 30-year fundraising, marketing, sales, training, and publicity veteran. Scott has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in capital for disruptive companies, garnered national media coverage for hundreds of regional and national brands, and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues for the companies he has represented.

Black Dog Venture Partners

Black Dog Venture Partners propose venture capital consulting, corporate finance, business development, digital marketing, and publicity for regional and national brands and hastily-growing companies. Black Dog's team has an extended history of success in the entertainment, sports, technology, and finance industries.

Black Dog Venture Partners is also the founder and host of The VC Fast Pitch Conference, which connects disruptive start-ups with the country's top investors raising millions of dollars annually. Learn more at http://BlackDogVenturePartners.com

Alpha Impact Launches Platform to Connect Beginners With Top Crypto-traders

In a bid to mitigate risks associated with trading the volatile cryptocurrencies market, Alpha Impact on Thursday launched its copy-trading platform, which allows community members to connect with top-performing traders to copy their trades.

Apart from copying the trades of seasoned traders, community members, especially beginners, can also access the latest news from crypto experts, and learn the art of crypto investing through masterclasses and guides. In turn, traders on the platform benefit from growing a follower base as a trusted opinion leader, which allows them to earn passive income from subscriptions and via a revenue share model that lets them earn a commission for each trade.

“There is too much noise and too much volatility from unqualified people hyping or hating coins. We want to remove that noise and educate people about crypto trading and value investing by building a hub for investment insights where users can identify a top trader based on the trader’s actual trading history, and copy that expert’s trades through our platform,” said Hayden Hughes, CEO of Alpha Impact.

“The goal is to allow people to invest smarter in cryptocurrencies, by connecting with the industry’s best traders with performance history and proven statistics; and the best part is, people do not need to put money on our platform to copy traders–– they can copy traders from their existing Binance or investment account.”

Unlike other copy-trading platforms, Alpha Impact focuses on transparency and interaction between followers and traders. While other copy-trading platforms keep traders anonymous, Alpha Impact encourages traders to become key influencers and bridges communication between followers and traders, aiming to not only simplify copy trading but empower people to profit from cryptocurrencies by providing an educational platform where traders can explain their rationale behind trades and discuss strategies and industry news.

$IMPACT is the utility token used to manage the interaction between traders and investors in the platform. Investors that hold it will have access to impactful insights and traders' best strategies. Traders will benefit from rewards and fees payment in $IMPACT. Alpha Impact will soon be launching an NFT series as well. The NFTs, which will unlock copy trading functionality within the platform, will require the $IMPACT token.

OKEx Integrates Fiat Gateway Bitbns for India-based Traders

By selecting Bitbns via OKEx's Buy/Sell tool, OKEx traders in India can now buy USDT, LINK, AAVE, MATIC and USDC with INR via bank transfer, IMPS and UPI.

First strategic partnership in India by OKEx

New Delhi, September 30, 2021: Global cryptocurrency exchange, OKEx, and Bitbns, India's leading crypto wallet and exchange platform join hands to elevate flexible trading capabilities for Indian crypto users across the region. OKEx & Bitbns have integrated using the matic-polygon ecosystem to provide free blockchain transfers to its users.

This partnership will give users access to trading tools/options which Indian crypto users have not been privy to previously. Users can now seamlessly purchase crypto in INR trading pairs including $USDT, $AAVE, $MATIC, etc., and can now access the range of trading facilities available across both exchanges. In conjunction with Bitbns, OKEx strives to give Indian traders access to a novel fiat gateway, a range of newer INR trading pairs, priority access to new coin/token launches, and high-yield staking products amongst the others.

Commenting on the development, Jay Hao, CEO, OKEx.com, said "We aim to make the crypto journey easy for all our users. Our team has worked hard to find such a solution for our users in India. Indian users can now easily use bank transfers to buy crypto on OKEx through our integration with Bitbns. As a byproduct of the integration, users can also access a range of diverse trading tools available on OKEx".

Prashant Singh, CTO, Bitbns said "We are working on creating seamless on-ramps for Indian users so they can trade different trading options on renowned venues like OKEx. We have innovated a lot so that blockchain transfers are free for users by integrating the matic-polygon ecosystem".

OKEx is the world's leading BTC future derivatives and crypto exchange with reach and users panning across the globe. With its recent sprint of operation in SA and India, OKEx aims to empower the crypto community with next-gen crypto trading tools, security, and technology. Testimony to its vision, OKEx houses billions in trading volumes daily creating avid ground for high liquidity and robust server infrastructures. Bitbns's deep vested roots in the Indian crypto market with 3 million+ users across the nation is testament to its high liquidity and platform security.

Peering forward, OKEx intends to add a layer of simplicity and transparency by partnering with a highly localized and trusted platform, like Bitbns. OKEx aims to serve users with the best-in-class blockchain and crypto technology by joining hands with the renowned Bitbns platform. This is indeed a leap forth to strengthen domestic crypto accessibility and enhance the trading experience for 100 million+ users, across both platforms collectively.

About OKEx

Founded in 2017, OKEx is one of the world's leading cryptocurrency spot and derivatives exchanges. OKEx has innovatively adopted blockchain technology to reshape the financial ecosystem and offers some of the most diverse and sophisticated products, solutions, and trading tools on the market. Trusted by more than 20 million users across the globe, its mission is to empower every individual through the promotion and advancement of cryptocurrencies globally.

In addition to the exchange, it serves its users with OKEx Insights, a research arm that is at the cutting edge of the latest trends in the cryptocurrency industry. With its extensive range of crypto products and services, its unwavering commitment to innovation, and its local operations to serve its users better, OKEx strives to eliminate financial barriers and realize a world of financial inclusion for all. For more information, visit www.okex.com

The Best Indicator for Cryptocurrency Trading

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Cryptocurrency trading, in general, is quite similar to stocks, currency, or commodity trading. Market participants utilize various techniques and strategies to maximize their profits. Some strategies rely on on-chain analysis which is exclusively presented in the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries. But the most popular way of analyzing the market is still the technical analysis which includes thousands of strategies that use numerous indicators for correctly predicting price movements in the future.

If you haven’t yet developed your cryptocurrency trading strategy and are looking for indicators that will help you to do so, we got something for you.

Ichimoku Cloud indicator

Ichimoku is the collection of technical analysis tools combined into one comprehensive indicator. It has multiple uses like finding support and resistance points, giving entry and exit signals, and determining the current strength of a trend. By using values received from multiple moving averages, the indicator forms a “cloud” that traders can use to find resistance and support points or determine the current trend.

The indicator itself was created by Goichi Hosoda, mostly for predicting movements of the Japanese Nikkei index. Hosoda was improving and constantly developing his indicator and showed it to the public only after 30 years of development.

Ichimoku indicator trading strategy

First of all, before using the indicator you will need to set it up properly. The original settings of the Ichimoku Cloud are 9, 26, 52, 26. For trading on the cryptocurrency market, you will need to change those to 20, 60, 120, 30. The settings differ due to the difference in trading hours between the stock and cryptocurrency markets. Since cryptocurrencies are decentralized assets, you can trade them 24/7 while stocks are being traded on specified days and hours only.

Buy and sell signals

The main buy signal when trading with Ichimoku is entries and breakouts from the cloud.

You can see in the example that we are opening a position once price breaks through and enters the cloud which becomes a signal of a potential trend retrace which exactly happened after. You can also buy and hold currency while it breaks through the upper border of the cloud.

Support and resistance

After buying an asset you will also need to know when to sell it, but sometimes it might be tricky even with the Ichimoku Indicator. Depending on your risk management you can personally decide what signal to consider as a sell alert or stop-loss. Ichimoku cloud can show you both support and resistance points and we recommend you to use them as your main selling point.

Bithumb Global Launches New Smart Token: BTCS

Smart Tokens: The Tokens of the Times of Change

SYDNEY and SINGAPORE, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In the current scenario, where the interest in digital assets is reaching unprecedented levels, fintech companies are creating innovative solutions to allow investors and traders to leverage the awesome potential of digital assets. Bithumb Global, a Top 10 globally ranked digital assets platform, according to CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko, and one of the fastest growing exchanges since 2019, has developed "Smart Tokens," a fintech innovation that is fast becoming a go-to for many crypto enthusiasts. Smart Tokens are Bithumb Global's answer to ETF tokens and their return mechanism is similar to that of ETFs in traditional financial markets.

Bithumb Global recently launched their smart token BTCS, along with ETHS, XRPS, LTCS, BCHS, BSVS and COMPS. The yield rate of BTCS is pegged to the underlying asset BTC and others respectively, also to their core token worth.

Unlike regular tokens or coins, they are specific to Bithumb Global users. A formula is used to calculate the prices continuously, thus keeping the trading balance. Because of these characteristics of smart tokens, it is possible for anyone to buy or liquidate them with astounding ease.

Defining Features of Smart Tokens

More crypto exchange platforms are coming forward with their own smart tokens. Here are some basic characteristics of smart tokens to understand how they really work:

• A smart token can be purchased by just about anyone. This can be done by buying it, based on its current value. Interestingly, the added benefit of a smart token over other kinds of tokens is that owners are hedging against where you foresee the price will go.


• Smart tokens control their own prices which are tied to the actual token worth they carry.

What Do Smart Tokens Mean to these Times of Change? 

As the world is locked indoors during a pandemic which doesn't seem to have an end, the one word which defines every scenario today is uncertainty. The same is also visible in all forms of traditional markets. The chaos that the world has witnessed has driven the point home that disruptive innovation is needed to provide its security and stability. Smart tokens offer one such solution.

When even physical currencies are no longer stable, and when a steep downfall of our current systems is predicted by experts all around the world, a smart token, with its high liquidity, and equally high stability, sounds too good to be true. It is highly likely that the future would be driven by a new and revolutionary type of tokens which depend neither on a central authority nor on an exchange or other such third-party.

Smart Tokens Have an Edge Over Traditional ETFs 

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are types of securities that store a collection of securities like stocks that often track an underlying index. They are similar to mutual funds. They can be invested in a number of industry sectors or applied various strategies according to the purpose.

Smart tokens are cheaper: Bithumb Global smart tokens are relatively inexpensive to hold. Other than the management fees, which are charged daily at 16:00 Seoul time and deducted from the Smart Token net value, there is absolutely no other cost associated with smart tokens. While traditional ETFs offer low expense ratios and lower broker commissions than buying the stocks individually, smart tokens will turn out to be more inexpensive than ETFs.

ETFs sometimes face liquidity crunch: As explained earlier, Bithumb Global smart tokens could be purchased or liquidated anytime through the platform. The process is all the easier because no third party is involved, hence the risk factor is zero. Furthermore, the transaction does not depend on the trading volumes. ETFs, on the other hand, have always been widely viewed as a more liquid alternative to mutual funds. But since they are pegged to traditional assets, the market conditions will affect them as well taking the edge off their liquidity.

Smart tokens involve minimum risks: Smart tokens have the added benefit of pre-calculated price slippage, which means that any slippage in price is very predictable before a transaction is carried out. The yield rate of the Smart Token BTCS (1x short BTC) is at the same rate but the opposite trend of that of BTC, which means when BTC goes down 5%, BTCS goes up 5%. This minimizes the risk associated with market changes which traditional tokens are highly vulnerable to.

Smart tokens are stable: The smart contract automatically maintains the exchange price between a smart token and its pegged token/coin. This implies that there is an original, real-time price associated with the sale or purchase of a smart token. This makes it much more stable, and hence also reliable. Bithumb Global smart tokens will trigger rebalancing only when the tracking difference exceeds 10%. For example, if the target of BTCS is 1x short, a rebalance will be triggered when the actual leverage is lower than 0.9x or higher than 1.1x. But the price of a traditional ETF fluctuates all day as the ETF is bought and sold.

In a nutshell, ETFs are a box full of traditional securities that can be traded on an exchange, just like a stock. Smart tokens are definitely a better and digitized version of ETFs. They are more secure, cheaper, and liquid than traditional ETFs.

Parting Words

Make sure you understand how Bithumb Global smart tokens work before investing in them. Always keep track of the net value before trading and make decisions accordingly. Despite being a nascent concept, they hold immense potential for further developments. Smart tokens will hopefully become more stable, safer, and more liquid over time. It won't be an exaggeration to call smart tokens the saviours of investors in these times of global financial adversity.

,

BSO and Gemini partner for Direct Crypto Exchange Connectivity Worldwide

BSO, the award-winning Ethernet network, cloud and hosting provider for the financial services industry, today announced the availability of connectivity solutions to Gemini, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and custodian, directly from the global BSO network.

BSO’s global Crypto Connect network provides specialist state of the art solutions for both institutional clients, who require the same high-quality access to Gemini as they do for other traditional asset class exchanges, as well as the demanding crypto community, who equally require nimbleness, high availability and a high performance hybrid network. BSO delivers guaranteed latency on layer 2 backbone with high security to ensure that current and future business needs are catered for.

BSO is proud to welcome Gemini as a preferred partner on its BSO Crypto Connect solution that enables Public cloud & private infrastructures inter-connectivity over 240 PoPs via its private, internet avoiding, dedicated & guaranteed latency backbone worldwide.

Jeanine Hightower-Sellitto, Managing Director of Operations at Gemini, said, “Gemini is a crypto-native company working to mature the crypto trading space. We are very pleased to be working with BSO to provide direct access to a wider range of market participants; including investment firms who require traditional data centre cross connectivity capabilities.”

Michael Ourabah, CEO at BSO commented, “We are delighted to be working with Gemini to deliver institutional quality connectivity and service to support the growth of the crypto currency community.” Adding, “Crypto Connect supports both new entrants as they scale to institutional corporate structure and institutions who want to enter the crypto market with the same latency and service levels they have come to expect from BSO.”

New York based Gemini, is a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian that allows customers to buy, sell, and store digital assets including bitcoin, ether, zcash, and litecoin. Gemini was founded in 2014 to build a bridge to the future of money.
BSO is the first network provider to launch a crypto-friendly network infrastructure to traders, exchanges, financial institutions, fintech startups, or regulators looking to understand this complex market. Crypto Connect is available in data centre locations comprising all the major trading venues in the global financial community.

About BSO

BSO is a global telecoms operator powering the digital age. 15 years of innovation, independence and pioneering spirit underpin its customer relationships – trusted partnerships with technology-empowered companies that are embracing global opportunities, scaling rapidly and outperforming competitors.

From trading firms at finance’s bleeding edge to high-growth businesses where network performance, reach, diversity and exceptional 24/7 support defines success, BSO delivers every time.

The world’s largest privately-owned telecom company by PoP count. An unrivalled international footprint. Extensive expertise in difficult-to-access regions and emerging markets. A team listening intently to every customer’s unique needs. A broad spectrum of shared and dedicated services, unmanaged to fully managed. An uncontested consulting-led approach.

This bespoke intelligent infrastructure, incomparable speed, unmatched service, experience and state-of-the-art technology is what makes BSO a passionate partner rather than transactional provider.

​Common Man Suffer while Rich get Richer - 68% of Wealthy Individuals Invested in Cryptocurrencies, Says Global Study

A latest survey by one of world's largest financial advisory firm, deVere Group, says that 68% of wealthy individuals across the globe will invest or have already invested in cryptocurrencies.

The survey, conducted by the Dubai-based deVere Group, an independent financial advisory organization, polled over 700 of the firm’s clients who reside in various countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Qatar, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Japan, Qatar, Switzerland, Mexico, Hong Kong, Spain, France and South Africa.

In the survey’s context, a high-net-worth individual was considered one with over £1 million ($1.3 million) worth of investable assets.

"This is the sad part of Crypto ban. Only the common man will suffer while the rich get richer. Always the same #IndiaWantsCrypto," said Nischal Shetty, founder of WazirX, in his series of tweets made objecting India's crypto ban.

Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group said, "The research shows that wealthy individuals are increasingly seeking exposure to cryptocurrencies. There is growing, universal acceptance that cryptocurrencies are the future of money – and the future is now. High net worth individuals are not prepared to miss out on this and are rebalancing their investment portfolios towards these digital assets."

"Crypto is to money what Amazon was to retail. Those surveyed clearly will not want to be the last one on the boat," he said.

Speaking against the crypto ban, WazirX founder Nischal said in a tweet, "This is day 187. We need to tweet to our minister everyday till we get a reply. The more we tweet, more chances of our voice being heard & crypto getting a positive regulation in India. RT, Like, Share as much as you can every day. Only together can we make this happen.

Nischal, a software developer turned entrepreneur, who has built Crowdfire, an AI-driven marketing assistant used by over 15 million users, has launched Crypto Exchange start-up WazirX in March 2018 in response to the current exchange standards in India.

Dear @arunjaitley @narendramodi

Survey by one of world's largest financial advisory firm says that 68% of wealthy individuals will invest in Crypto

This is the sad part of Crypto ban. Only the common man will suffer while the rich get richer. Always the same #IndiaWantsCrypto pic.twitter.com/OMqPnsVtw3

— Nischal (WazirX) ⚡️ (@NischalShetty) May 7, 2019

In December last year, there were some reports that India may lift ban on cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum or Ripple as an interdisciplinary committee on cryptocurrencies in India formed by the central government had reportedly recommended lifting the ban and legalize it.

However, no substantial steps or even discussions, opinions were heard from crypto entrepreneurs. And, amid general elections in the country, the matter again gets back into long waiting queue.

Last year in May, Indian apex court, the Supreme Court (SC) of India, barred all high courts from filing petitions against Reserve Bank of India's cryptocurrency ban. The move comes when several cryptocurrency firms had filed a petition with the high court saying -- The RBI’s new policy is "arbitrary, unfair and unconstitutional".

Nonetheless, few leading banks and top notch companies of the country including Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), HDFC Bank and ABG Shipyard and few others, have launched crypto and blockchain-based pilots for internal treasury management. These organizations have reportedly integrated cryptos and distributed ledger technology (DLT) into their operations, using the nascent technologies to pay vendors, suppliers and as a transparent treasury management tool,

Source - Irish Tech News

About 95% of All Bitcoin Trades are Fake and Artificially Created - Study

Nearly 95% of all reported trading in bitcoin is fake and in fact created artificially by unregulated exchanges, said a new study by Bitwise Asset Management, a San Francisco-based cryptocurrency index fund. The study report was presented by Bitwise to the US financial regulators list as the company is intends to list an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)

The report had already raised doubts about the concerns that it is being manipulated amid the recent over-inflation and prior to that a steep fall in prices of Bitcoin. The report revealed that real Bitcoin trading market is an order of magnitude smaller than is broadly reported.

Bitwise, a crypto-asset management firm, analyzed 81 exchanges, finding that 71 of them exhibited patterns that reflected artificial trading volume. One way to manufacture volume is via a technique called wash trading, in which someone simultaneously buys and sells the same asset. Although the exchanges in the study reported a combined $6 billion in daily volume during four days this month, Bitwise determined that only $273 million of it was real.

The parameter for the research study was ‘trading volume’ data with respect to the amount of Bitcoins held in the exchanges. On comparing the data from several Exchanges, the Bitwise report found authentic similarities in only ten Exchanges. They also found that nine out of the ten Exchanges have procured the required regulatory licenses.

1/ New Research from us @BitwiseInvest.

As part of 226 slides presented to the SEC on our ETF filing, we did a first-of-its-kind analysis of *order book data* from all 81 exchanges reporting >$1M in BTC volume on CMC.

TLDR: 95% of reported volume is fake but LOTS of good news! pic.twitter.com/TuXLlDCRyP

— Bitwise (@BitwiseInvest) March 22, 2019

Notably, Binance Exchange, which has recently launched its own blockchain and cryprtocurreny, was the exception out of the 10 exchanges.

The rest nine exchanges that reported authentic trading volume as per the report are - BitFinex, BitFlyer, BitStamp, Bittrex, Coinbase Pro, Gemini, itBit, Kraken, and Poloniex.

Matthew Hougan, Bitwise’s global head of research, told the Wall Street Journal that the point of submitting the analysis was to show regulators that “a real market for Bitcoin” still exists despite the storm of artificial trading. Solid evidence for this comes from the small number of exchanges that can actually verify that their trading data is real, he said. If approved, Bitwise’s fund would be based on the volume on those exchanges, which represents only around 5% of the generally reported total.

An another report which was an independent research conducted by TIE, developed in partnership with Social Market Analytics suggests that 59% of the exchanges have falsified their trading volume data by more than 90%. TIE, which is a platform for crypto traders, made a comparison between the website viewership metric and the reported trading volume on exchanges to found that 75% of them falsified data.

1/

As a follow up to our suspicious cryptocurrency exchange trading volume report, we decided to look into where exchanges were receiving their website traffic from to see what incentives these exchanges had to manipulate volume.

Data: https://t.co/rCWwW1TOxC pic.twitter.com/0hSUKcyoEw

— The TIE (@TheTIEIO) April 11, 2019

The exchanges dishonestly inflate their volumes in order to get benefited and one of the benefit these exchanges get is to attract ICO (initial coin offering) projects that want to be listed on exchanges that are facilitating lots of trading. To list such projects, some exchanges charge fees that can be as high as a few million dollars.

Source - WSJ.com, Technology Review, Coingape

Do Crypto Traders Use VPN?

The short answer is yes. But that doesn’t tell the whole story, does it?

To elaborate on it a bit further, using a VPN is a crucial element of protecting your digital wealth. Just like you would protect your physical resources, you should take similar steps to protect your digital ones – that much is clear. But before you can truly understand how to protect your cryptocurrency, let’s first take a look at how hackers can snatch it straight from your wallet if you’re not careful enough.

There’s more than one way hackers can compromise your wallet

Most commonly, they do this by tricking you into giving them your login details through a fake login page, a practice otherwise known as phishing. You might get a message sent to you via email, or through social media that’s prompting you to update your account details or something similar, pretending it’s from a legitimate sender. In reality, no one else other than a hacker is behind the keyboard. The reason why such a move works is that it was designed to prey on people’s naiveté. Once a hacker gets a hold of your login credentials, all they need to do is log in to your account and empty or transfer its contents.

Another way they use to trick you into sending your hard-earned money into the wrong hands is by infecting your PC with malware that alters the contents of your clipboard. You might be thinking you’re sending the money to a friend or a legitimate charity, but the malware edits the Bitcoin address to the one belonging to a hacker without you noticing.

Now, all of the above-mentioned methods of crypto-theft have something to do with trickery. One would think that by simply staying alert at all times and double-checking everything such grim scenarios could be avoided with relative ease. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. What if you knew that in certain situations, hackers could intercept your login credentials despite you exercising the maximum caution?

Why crypto traders view VPN as an essential cybersecurity measure

Apart from safeguarding your privacy and anonymity online, a VPN also has another important function. It encrypts the traffic exchanged between your device and the server you’re communicating with. In other words, even if someone were to intercept it on its way to the intended destination, it would be utterly useless to them without knowing the proper key.

When logging in to your crypto-trading accounts, inputting your login credentials is a necessary evil. However, if you’re connected to a potentially unsecured network (such as the public Wi-Fi’s you often find at a cafe or any other public place), they could be intercepted by a third party at this very point. Having two-factor authentication turned on helps a great deal, but not all providers support it, so there’s no need for you to be taking chances for no reason. Just get a VPN. It will help you sleep at night.

Some crypto traders are concerned about the government surveillance

 

Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) is untraceable by design. Or is it? As the industry experts will tell you, the government has been actively trying to trace its flow, and they may be spying on your transactions as well – your ISP may be assisting them with it. Furthermore, certain cryptocurrencies keep tabs on all the transactions and send them straight to the government whenever requested. The bright side of using a VPN is that the ISP won’t be able to see what’s going on, and you will remain anonymous in the eyes of the government.

What else do you need to engage in safe cryptocurrency trading?

 

First and foremost, you need to make sure there is no malware installed on your computer or smart device that might be spying on your transactions. Otherwise, nothing mentioned in today’s article will make a difference. This can be done in two ways; either by reinstalling your OS or scanning it with an antivirus software of your choice. If you’re extra-paranoid, reinstalling the OS might be your best bet (since not all antivirus scanners are 100% accurate).

Then, you need to make sure that your software and OS is always kept up to date. That way, it’s going to be less vulnerable to hacks and exploits. Finally, if you’ve decided that you’re going to store your cryptocurrencies on your local machine, double-check it’s encrypted and make regular backups to ensure you don’t lose access to it overnight.

Conclusion

Safe cryptocurrency trading is a complex beast, but yes – buying a VPN is undoubtedly a crucial part of the overall equation. By now, you should have a good idea what you should be doing to stay as safe as possible, and if you still haven’t applied everything we’ve mentioned, now is the time to do so.

Swiss-based Cryptocurrency Platform MoonX to Launch India Operations Next Month

Geneva, Switzerland-based MoonX, a decentralized ownership crypto exchange, is all set to launch decentralised non-profit trading platform for cryptocurrencies in India, by the end of November this year.

MoonX platform allows members to collectively participate and contribute and in turn rewarded with Moon Money, equivalent to shares and voting rights within the company. One can be a part of MoonX family by just trading on the platform once.

MoonX claims to be a true socially scalable product that benefits the entire crypto market due to the fact that unlike traditional for-profit, centralised crypto exchanges that make money from the end users, Moonx platform is instead a decentralized and "Not-for-Profit" cryptocurrency exchange with zero commission fees for users and its community members.

Besides setting up its development centres in Bengaluru, London and Beijing, MoonX is also planning to start office in Kerala, which has lot of NRIs working in West Asia who the startup quantify to be interested in becoming members of the platform.

Founded in 2017, by Dr. Nithin Palavalli and Tony Lee, MoonX MoonX has raised $29 million funding for its operations. Its investors include BCH Angel Fund, IDG, BITMAIN, and Fission Capital. Other investors include NGC (Neo Global Capital), Node Capital, DHVC, Pre Angel, Linear VC, Du Capital, and 20 more.

According to Nithin Palavalli, founding CEO of MoonX, the exchange will charge one of the lowest brokerages and offers nanosecond response time of 10 million transactions a second, which is better than most other exchanges in operation.

In its future plan, MoonX family is up to build a highly secure, useful, and easy-to-use product based on private blockchain and will include easy cryptocurrency payments integration and even a digital arbitration system.

To recall, an another cryptocurrency-based startup Pundi X, which is based out of Indonesia, is also preparing to launch point-of-sale network in India so that people in the country can buy and invest in cryptocurrencies not just only online but offline as well.

Source - Economic Times, PR Newswire

Koinex Launches 'Loop', A P2P Platform to Transact in Digital Assets in Indian Rupees

Koinex, India’s first and largest digital assets exchange, has launched their peer-to-peer trading platform, Loop, for the Indian investors to transact in digital assets against INR fiat currency. The Loop network is fully integrated with Koinex to create their own ecosystem where one account can be used to access crypto/crypto corridors on Koinex and INR/crypto trades on Loop.

Loop is also the first P2P network in the country to introduce the concept of collateralized trading. Use of collaterals on digital assets trading ensures user authenticity and trustful order settlement with minimum disputes. It is form of guarantee to incentivise genuineness of the trading activity. Collateralization can set a new standard for trusted trading, which will be adopted by the industry.

Major highlights of Loop:

• One account for trading on both Koinex & Loop


• Currently supports Bitcoin, Ethereum & Ripple


• Multiple payment options


• Action reminders like SMS and automated phone calls


• Direct communication via masked calling


• Technology-enabled dispute resolution mechanism

Elated on the launch of Loop, Rahul Raj, Co-Founder & CEO, Koinex said, “Loop is in line with our mission to transform India into a hotbed of blockchain technology development, as Loop is a step closer to decentralized trading. This is a world class platform designed for Indian traders to find true value for their digital assets in midst of the ongoing market uncertainty.”



Adding to it, Aditya Naik, Co-Founder & CBO, Koinex said, “Loop is built on the principles of decentralisation, trust, security, data privacy and ease-of-use, to ensure our users to have the same seamless trading experience they are used to on Koinex. In fact, for Koinex & Loop, we have mandatory user KYC verification, which is optional on other platforms. We also have introduced a rating mechanism to establish reputation of the traders on the network which will help the community know the genuine and trustworthy traders and ensure trusted trading, with minimal disputes. We are currently working on building sophisticated algorithms to enhance the trust factor and discourage fraudulent activity”

Recently when the digital assets prices were plummeting in the Indian market due to absence of the INR corridor, Koinex introduced TrueUSD (TUSD) as a stable coin on the exchange. The TrueUSD trading market allowed users to trade against a fiat-backed stable coin and also hold their earnings and profits in form of TUSD, shielded from the market price volatility. Similarly, in the midst of the ongoing market uncertainty, Koinex offers a one-stop solution to keep the industry alive with the release of Loop.

Loop went live on July 17, 2018 and is bundled directly into the Koinex ecosystem. Loop is a big step forward for Koinex in its mission to be India’s largest trustworthy platform for digital assets trading.